Dead Men Don't Walk
by Kelenloth
Summary: A PotC/LotR Crossover, covering the events of DMC. To be followed by a sequal about AWE. After a possibly fatal accident, Aragorn and Legolas find themselves in an odd world on the open seas with Will Turner and CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow. Again. Read A/N!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: ALRIGHT. There are several things you need to know if you are - for some reason - reading this. First is that this story and its sequel are EXTREMELY old, and I pretty much hate them. I never quite finished them, although I got pretty darn close. I may write one final chapter one day, but it is unlikely. By request and simply to finish old business, I've decided to post all that I wrote so long ago and forgot to publish at the time. As such, several of the latter chapters of DMW are UNBETAED. So don't say I didn't want you. I haven't even bothered to re-read this whole thing yet, and once again I must repeat, this story is OLD, terribly written, and just... you get the idea. I'll be putting this message on chapter 1 of both stories, and chapter 6 of the latter, as that was where I originally stopped posting. If you want any further information, see my profile page. Basically, if you're just now stumbling onto this story, I suggest you'd just stop reading now and go do something else with your time.

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"That one looks like a fish." Erohir pointed up towards a large fluffy cloud from his comfortable spot in the grass; he lay beside his twin, Elladan, with a full stomach and eased mind. He, Elladan, their brother Aragorn, and best friend, Legolas, had come down to one of the smaller waterfalls, that was a part of the rock walls of that surrounded the valley of Rivendell, for a relaxing picnic, and surprisingly, it had so far been just that; relaxing. He heard Aragorn come and plop himself in the grass somewhere on the small incline just above his head; and then lay down in the grass so his head came between those of his brothers.

"What are you two doing now?" The young man asked, following his brothers' gaze into the sky. Aragorn was a human, adopted by elves and accepted into the family; he was much, much younger then his brothers, but already a grown man by human standards.

"What does it look like we're doing? Slaying orcs?" Elladan laughed softly at his own questions, he rolled over to look at Aragorn.

"No," The man sighed and turned his head to face his brother. "Being boring!" He declared before jumping to his feet. "Legolas? You have to be doing something more interesting than them..." the man looked to his friend, who sat quietly in the lower branches of a small tree, one leg hanging down, and half asleep.

"What?" Legolas perked up, he lifted his head off the branch but did not bother actually getting up.

"Never mind." The ranger sighed. "You know, this is really odd, us four have been out of the house all day and not a single orc, warg, wolf, or 'accidental injury' has befallen us... that never happens." Aragorn sat down on the grass next to the small lake the nearby waterfall created, he had removed his boots and his toes played in the cool water. Slowly a sly grin grew on his face.

"Are you saying there is something _bad_ about this?" He heard Elladan ask from behind him, the elf still gazed sleepily towards the clouds. His gaze never wavered from its upward look even when his brother blocked his vision by leaning over him.

"Yes!" Aragorn told him, raising his cupped hands and letting the water inside fall to splash the elf below him; He then turned tail and ran for his life.

Elladan wiped his eyes and jumped to his feet. "Oh, your are so getting it now!" The elf rushed after his brother, ready to push him in the lake. Aragorn stopped short and spun around, perhaps running _towards_ the water was a bad idea; quickly changing his course he made his way to the tree in which his friend still sat, enjoying the show. Grabbing a low branch he swung himself hurriedly into the tree; he scurried to a branch right above Legolas' head, once there he peered cautiously down upon his brother who was hidden partially by the leaves of the oak tree.

"You can't hide up there forever, Estel! Stop using the prince as a shield!" Elladan shot up at his brother, still wiping water out of his eyes.

"I don't see why, Legolas makes a fine shield!" Aragorn hopped down to sit on a branch nearer to the blonde elf. Legolas sat up and looked at the two whom he was separating

"No, I don't." He said, throwing his hands up and jumping gracefully down from the tree; he casually walked away from the oak and sat down next to the still laughing Elrohir.

"Legolas! You are supposed to protect me!" Aragorn called to him, but the elf waved him off.

"This is your doing, you know! I would rather _not_ get wet today!"

"Thank you, Legolas." Elladan said. "Now, why didn't we bring a bucket for me to toss water with?" he continued, turning his back to the tree and heading towards the pile they had placed their packs in. Aragorn took his chance; he leaped from the tree and onto his brother, bringing them both to a rough landing on the grass. Once they stopped moving he hopped up and took off down the lake shore.

Elladan lurched forward as his brother made contact with his back and sent him to the ground, landing with a grunt he looked up to see the man running off; quickly rising from the ground he gave chase.

"Come on, 'Ro, we have to make sure your brothers do not kill each other." Legolas walked slowly behind the pair, the grin on his face growing wider by the second.

Aragorn reached the cliff off which the water fell from and carefully pressed himself against the rock wall, slowly working his way down the small path etched into the rock face. A small cave was naturally carved into the rock behind the falls, and in this hollow Aragorn hid. The roar of the falls drowned out all other sounds, and the ranger could no longer hear his brother; he waited quietly for him, though, in the semi-darkness, for he knew the elf would not be long in following him in. Seconds later he was proven right, as Elladan entered the small den at a run. Aragorn returned the charge and the two met in the middle of the cave, holding each other's shoulders in a tight lock.

"You are _so_ paying, little brother!" Elladan smiled as he gained the advantage of strength and balance, and effectively turning the brawl towards the wall of water to his right. Of course he would never toss his brother in, but getting the man wet wouldn't hurt, would it? He positioned himself closer to the cave exit.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Aragorn attempted to turn his brother away from the roaring falls; but still his brother had the greater advantage point, and the man was quickly forced once again to the edge of the wet rocks. With water spraying his face, and the ground a slippery mess, Aragorn's smile faded as he lost his footing. "Elladan!" He called in sudden panic. Still grasping the elf's arm Aragorn began to fall into the vertical stream of white water.

"Estel!" Elladan returned the call; his grip on his brother tightened as he found himself being drug into the water as well.

Legolas and Elrohir quickened their pace as their elven ears picked up the muffled cries of panic. Slipping around the cliff face, they entered the cave and found exactly what they feared: no one was there.

Elladan lost his grip on the human as the water forced him, face down, to the bottom of the lake. He pushed off the stone wall from which the cave had been carved from further up, to escape the pressure of the falls; pulling his arms swiftly through the cold water he tried desperately to save whatever air was in his lungs; he had to find his brother. Daring to open his eyes, though, he found it made no difference; down under the falls all one could see was the dark rocks and the white foam from the water fall. Gasping for breath he broke the surface.

Elrohir quickly abandoned the quiet cave as he saw his twin surface; he dove into the lake to help him.

Aragorn was not so lucky as his back slammed against the rocky bottom of the lake. He tried to get his hands or feet under him, but the pressure of the water held him fast, pushing him back to the floor of the lake. He could not turn over; all he could do was uselessy squirm. His body, despite how hard he tried to remain calm, quickly went into panic as the air was forced from his lungs. Finding a hold on the rough rocks, he barely had the conscious strength to push himself up, before his world went dark, and he began to inhale cold water.

Elrohir quickly swam his twin to the shore as Legolas dove in to assist Elrohir in the rescue.

Elladan was still gulping in air greedily as his twin helped him onto the shore. As Elrohir led him to firm ground, Elladan looked back to see if Estel had surfaced; the man had not.

"Elrohir?" He called to his brother. "I'm sorry," his voice shook as he lay on the grass.

When Aragorn did not follow his brother, Legolas plunged deeper into the churning water; trying to keep his eyes open in the stinging water he spotted his friend on the bottom. The man pushed off the rocks, then stopped moving altogether, his body was pushed back to the floor of the lake.

Legolas swam up for one more deep breath before he descended under the fall to save his friend. His body slammed against the rocks as he finally wrapped an arm around his friend; the water ruthlessly tossing him about like a rag doll, the elf lost all sense of direction in the swirling waters. He attempted to drag the weight of the man in his arms to what he hoped was fresh air. Legolas' own body slowly elasped into the panic he was trying, and failing, to fight. When he lost hold of the ranger, he dove back down again to grab him, knowing that the man would die if he did not breathe again soon.

Forcing his body into obedience, Legolas found the bottom once again; he attempted to crawl under the current of the fall, but it was in vain: he just could not carry them both through. He found himself now trapped, and losing air, between the rock wall behind him and the swirling falls before him; stars began to dance before his vision as he pushed off the wall one last time. The limp ranger slipped from his grasp and Legolas cursed his own body as he turned back to grab the man, but he found he could do this no longer. He tried to get back to his friend, but the force of the falls pressed him downward; his weakening body was pounded to the rocks by the merciless waterfall. He couldn't see anything anymore, and his lungs insisted that he draw in his breath, but all he drew in was cold water; the next instant consciousness fled him.

After seeing that his twin was safely ashore, Elrohir dove down once more into the water. The prince had been down too long now; much too long. He faught to keep his eyes open under the water, but he could see nothing; not the prince, not his brother, unconscious or conscious, dead or alive. He broke the surface again, gasping for breath and wiping the water from his eyes. He wasn't admitting defeat, though; they would find the prince and their brother.

"El?" He heard Elladan calling him. "They're not in the cave either!" Having seen his twin's lack of success he admitted to his own. "Where else could they be?"

"I don't know, Dan, but we will find them." Elrohir vowed as he made his way out of the water. The two dripping wet elves attempted to keep calm expressions in the face of the maddening 'What if's' shrieking in their hearts.

Elladan sat on a rock at the base of the tree the prince had been dozing in just moments before. "Ro?" He asked as his brother sat next to him, there was no use in looking for them now. If the two were still down there they were long gone to the Halls of Mandos by now. In the face of such a dreadful thought, they could only cling to hope that Legolas had found a way out for them both; although all evidence stood to the contrary, they had seen their brother do it before, there was only so many times, though, the man could cheat death. "I'm so sorry..." His voice shook and soon his shoulders did as well. "It's all my fault... I tried to catch him, but... I... I practically pushed him in!" Fury and despair caused the older twin to bury his head into his brother's tunic.

"No, _muinder-nin,_ it was not your fault... I know you meant to keep him safe, but there are some things stronger then you." Elrohir softly replied as he held his twin. He attempted to comfort the sobbing elf in his arms; rocking back and forth as he held his brother close against his shoulder. Tears formed in his own eyes; What if they were really gone?

"No! I... I put him in harms way! I... I swore to protect him and now... I'm sorry... So sorry..." Elladan broke into uncontrollable sobs, the silver tears fell to the already soaked shirt his brother wore. Elrohir's own tears soon began to fall, as he nestled his head into his brother's wet hair.

"It's going to be alright, El... It's... It's going to be alright... I promise." Elrohir sobbed quietly.

"We should... go tell Ada and the others. We will need help if we are to find them." Elladan pulled back after what seemed like ages; his tears spent, he had no more to cry. Wiping his eyes he looked to his twin, who own's eyes were red and shining with already shed tears. They would find Aragorn and Legolas; they had to!

Legolas slowly awoke, his head hurt...a lot. He kept his eyes closed, but tried to sense his surroundings; the ground felt odd beneath him, it was rather rough, but not rock rough, nor was it grass; and it was strangely wet. He heard birds calling above his head and knew their call to be that of sea gulls. As his mind cleared he could hears sounds of splashing water on shoreline, he felt the water washing against his boots. When he finally opened his eyes, bright sunshine met him as it glared off the sandy beach he was laying on; but the first site that caught his attention was Aragorn, who lay asleep or unconscious, he didn't know, beside the elf on the beach. Legolas scooted towards his friend; at least the ranger was alive, he thanked Eru silently for that grace. Legolas began to try and wake the man as he took in his surroundings.

Past his feet was the source of the water, naturally it was the sea; stretching for miles where neither ship nor boat could be seen. Above his head was the edge of a wood, a jungle more like, and past that there appeared to be mountains covered in trees. He looked around the beach and his heart stilled as one word echoed in his mind. "No," he had never, ever, wanted to see that ship again. Tied down on the beach, and leaning on the side of her hull was the infamous _Black Pearl_; one of the oddest ships Legolas had ever laid eyes upon, and last time it seemed more like a dream then reality. He did _not_ want to be here again.

"Stupid mongrel!" Legolas' head shot up at a familiar, but most unwelcome voice. Down the beach there appeared to be what looked like a dog, shaking water out of it's fur and staring back from where it had come. A small life boat crested the top of a large wave, and two figures were soon toppled out onto the shore as the huge wave that had lifted them crashed to the shoreline; the dog did not seem so stupid now. Slowly lifting himself up, Legolas got a better look at the two. Yes, these were them; two of the pirates they had seen last time they had been in this place, but for the life of him Legolas could not remember who's side they were on. But they were the first human beings Legolas had laid eyes upon since waking up in this place, and since he could not easily wake Estel, he approached them.

"You there!" He called out, causing both of the pirates to stop in their tracks; ready to climb aboard the tilted ship, but also ready to turn and fight, they were. "Is a..." Legolas tried to recall the name of the Captain whose ship he stood before. "Captain... Jack Sparrow, here?"

"Uh... No! No 'e isn't, but 'e uh, well, we're to bring 'im 'is ship here, sent to untie it and make ready..." the larger pirates spoke up, elbowing his friend in the side.

"Jack sent us to make ready, he did!" The two were quite disturbed by the interuption, but quickly played on the fact that the elf had absolutly no information about the situation.

"Help us, will ye? There's alot of ropes here, we could uh, use the help!" The thinner man invited him on board.

"I am afraid I can not, my friend here," Legolas motioned to where Strider lay. "He..." Legolas started to say something, but was soon laughing loudly as Aragorn moaned; the dog was licking his face mercilessly, forcing him to wake, and sending the elf into a laughing fit from the look upon his friend's face. "Yes, I believe we can help you now."

"Legolas? Where in all of Arda are we?" Aragorn sleepily hobbled over to the elf, rubbing his head and blinking in the bright sunlight. He looked at the ship and remembered it well, it was... _Oh no._"Legolas...we are not... oh no, are we in that 'Caribbean' place again? I thought Ada said it was a dream!" Aragorn stopped as a large wave crashed into the shore, dousing him with salty foam.

"I guess not." Legolas could not help laughing again as he looked at his soaked friend.

"Come on you two! The tide'll be in soon, and we've got to be ready!" one of the two pirates called from up on the ship. Legolas and Aragorn turned to climb aboard, but Legolas stopped when another sound reached his ears; drums.


	2. Chapter 2

"Maybe we should... get 'er ready quick as we can... bein' in such a vulnerable state and all..." The skinnier man said; startled by the drums, he began to climb one of the ropes that held the vessel.

"The tide's comin' in, that should help." The other man said, following suit.

Aragorn and Legolas slowly made their way onto the ship as the once dry beach quickly flooded, and the boat began to sway uneasily under them. The two men, who introduced themselves as Pintel and Regetti, instructed them in which ropes to tie, untie, tighten, and cut.

A strange little creature hopped up from below deck, screeching at them it jumped onto one of the cannons; a little monkey. It was quite cute at first, a little monkey that wore a pirate's shirt, but it quickly became annoying to have a shrieking little beast hanging around. And the monkey loved to steal the disgusting wooden ball, that Regetti used as a fake eye, whenever it happened to pop out.

After what seemed like hours of pulling ropes, catching monkeys, and waiting for the tide to come in, the ship was almost fully supported by the sea. The drums had stopped a while before that, and they all felt safer, but still anxious to get off the island; Aragorn hoped that the captain of the ship would come back to his craft soon.

"The mooring line! Pull lose the mooring line!" Holding a rope that was obviously the mooring line, Pintel yelled from the flooded beach; Regetti, however, was chasing the monkey, and Aragorn and Legolas were already busy pulling this line and that, so the mooring line was left as it was; still tight and unloosed.

"He's got me eye! He won't give it back!" Regetti yelled to the man below, the incriminated monkey leapt onto the base of a nearby cannon. Unaware of the stealthiness of elves, it was caught off guard as Legolas grabbed the creature from behind. The monkey yelped in surprise, and dropped its toy, and the ball's owner was quick to retrieve it and put it in its place.

"The mooring line!" Pintel shouted again. Releasing the monkey, Legolas leaned over the rail of the ship to ask which rope was the 'mooring line'. He stopped when something running from the forest caught his sight; no, more then one something; in fact it was several people. Aragorn joined him at the railing as who he remembered as 'Mr. Gibbs' ran up and slapped Pintel on the back.

"Good work, boys! Our job's half done! Make ready to sail, boy!" The man continued to run the ship as the tide pushed it slowly farther from the shoreline. Five other men were following him, the last a most recognizable William Turner.

"What about Jack? I won't leave without him!" Will stopped short, and for the first time Aragorn and Legolas realized that Captain Jack Sparrow was not in the company of those that had approached the ship. Their doubts were quickly thrown off and replaced with a whole new set of questions as they spotted the captain running down the beach towards them. Jack screamed and ran as if a band of wargs were behind him, but it was really just a mob of the oddest people the elf and ranger had ever seen that was chasing the man.

"Time to go." William said faintly and ran up to the ship; quickly climbing the provided ropes, he jumped aboard the ship and watched as the pirate captain barely out ran his captors. As Jack leapt aboard the ship, just as it came fully off of the sandbar on the beach, Will was ignorant of the two newcomers behind him.

"Alas! My children, this is the day you will remember, as the day that you almo-" Jack was cut off as a large wave slammed into his back; dousing him with water, it stopped whatever proud comment he would have said. Aragorn could not suppress a laugh at the statement, he knew the rest from his last visit to this odd place. "…Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack finished lamely as he climbed aboard. Aragorn ran to where Jack was coming up and offered him a hand; the pirate captain took it without question, but once he was on the deck he stopped fast.

"You two." Aragorn and Legolas could not figure out if it was really a statement or a question. "How did you get here?" He questioned them, but the two did not get a chance to answer as Jack's attention was grabbed when Pintel and Regetti draped a dry coat over his shoulders. Raising an eyebrow he looked at the pirates, and Pintel saluted him to show he would serve the captain. Though he didn't know how the two pirates had gotten there, Jack was content. Jack's question was put off again as the first mate came up.

"Let's put some distance between us and this island, and head out to open sea!" Mr. Gibbs suggested.

"Yes to the first and yes to the second, but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible."

"That seems a bit contradictory, Captain." Mr. Gibbs noticed the two new-comers for the first time as well.

"I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs, now where is that monkey? I want to shoot something."

The monkey screeched from above and ran off down some of the ropes along the mast. "Jack!" Legolas interrupted the man from cocking a pistol. "You're not really going to-"

"Jack!" Will cut in, interrupting Legolas with his own needs. Doing a double take when he saw Legolas and Aragorn, Will almost rolled his eyes at the fact that the two were there _again_, as he continued, "Elizabeth is in danger."

"Have you ever considered keeping a more watchful eye on 'er, maybe just lock her up somewhere?" Jack showed his lack of interest before Will explained.

"She is locked up, in a prison, bound to hang for helping you!" Will followed Jack as he climbed to the upped deck, leaving Legolas and Aragorn once again with no clue as to what was going on.

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for ones mistakes." Jack continued to brush the accusations off; the two on the lower deck thought it quite amusing that he called helping him a mistake.

Taking a sword from a nearby sailor's belt, Will placed it upon the captain's right shoulder. "I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for her freedom." The young man nodded towards the compass that hung from Jack's belt. Aragorn had never seen the pirate without it, and wondered why anyone would want the broken thing; after-all what good did a broken compass do anyone?

Jack shifted the sword Will held from his right shoulder to his left, and walked away towards his first mate, who was busy manning the wheel. "Mr. Gibbs!"

"Aye, Cap'n?"

"We have a need to travel up river."

"By need, do you mean a trifling need...fleeting, say as in a.. Passing fancy?" Gibbs did _not_ seem happy with the prospect.

"No. A resolute and unyielding need."

Gibbs sighed, it would take a few days to get there, and it was not among his favorite places to go.

"What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste." Will approached Jack once again, as Legolas and Aragorn watched clueless from the deck below; they had lost all idea of what was going on.

"William? I will trade to you the compass, if you will help me, to find this." Jack pulled from his shirt pocket an old floppy piece of leathery cloth; the two below had no clue what was on it, but Will and Jack stared intently.

"You want me to find _this_?" Will tapped the cloth, looking doubtful.

"No! _You_ want you to find this! Because the finding of this, finds you incapacitorially finding and or locating in your discovering, the detecting of a way to save your dolly-belle ol'...what's-her-face! Savvy?"

Will, Aragorn, and Legolas were thoroughly confused by now; the elf and ranger were called to do other things, pull this line, tie off that, but Legolas kept an ear on the conversation.

"_This_ is going to save Elizabeth?" Will took the drawing and looked it over again critically, his face and tone skeptical and doubtful. Jack looked at the man, studying him over.

"How much do you know about Davy Jones?" Jack lowered his voice.

Will was surprised by the question, he had heard that name only in horror stories and madmen's tales, he didn't know if Jack believed such things, but he did not. "Not much." he said, the only answer he could come up with.

"Yeah, it's gonna save Elizabeth." Jack dropped the conversation and left Will with the picture. Coming down to the main deck he greeted the two friends again. "Now! You two!" he called for a second time. "How _did_ you get here?" The elf and ranger had no answers for him, and Jack then directed them to one of the mate's cabins below deck.

Later that day, Aragorn was back on deck. Being on a ship again, his stomach was not happy with him. It wasn't as bad as last time, he recalled, but he had already emptied his stomach into the water below. He moaned softly and continued to lean over the railing as Legolas approached him. If the elf himself wasn't so tired of the swaying motion, he might have laughed lightly at his friend. Of course, when the poor man was finally in the company of those who could imagine what he was going through, he was the only one to get sick.

The ranger wiped his mouth as Legolas leaned his back against the rail; holding his stomach he allowed the elf to open and rummage through the pack he still wore without protest. Legolas quickly found what he was looking for and ground it in his hands; he pulled out a water skin and a small bowl from the ranger's pack, and sat down to mix the herbs. When he had finished he motioned for the man to sit down. Holding his stomach, Aragorn slowly allowed himself to slide down the railing. He shut his eyes tight and trusted that whatever the elf had made would help him. When the ranger inhaled deeply, the soothing smell of familiar herbs met his senses, and he opened his eyes to see his friend holding the bowl out to him.

"Your father taught me to make that, you know. He said that it worked when you were little, and obviously it still does now." Legolas smiled as Aragorn seemed to recover a bit from his seasickness. Scooting towards the man and turning so his back was also supported by the rail, Legolas allowed some sailors by. Aragorn smiled at him as his gut stopped flipping on itself.

"Thank you. My father was right, it does still work."

"Your father is always right." Legolas concluded, causing his friend to laugh softly; that he was.

"Excuse me, sirs," Aragorn looked up to the skinny man they had first met: Ragetti. "But I was in need of some help. The darned monkey 'as run off with me eye again, an' it seems you're the only one 'o can catch 'im..." Ragetti would have gone on, but he had no need; Legolas was already on his feet and went off to help the man, who held his hand over where his right eye should have been. Aragorn laughed as a few minutes later the monkey ran in front of him, the elf on his tail.

"I suppose you think this very funny, don't you?" Legolas stopped near Aragorn's feet. The man did not give any answer, but continued to laugh; his stomach had at last settled and he almost felt as if he could stand. The elf quickly noticed the change in his friend's behavior from before, and grabbed the laughing ranger's arm; he pulled him into a standing position. "But you are not helping!" Aragorn's hand moved from his stomach to his head at the sudden movement, allowing the blood time to return to it's proper place.

"Did you get 'im?!" Regetti came up behind the two. Legolas shook his head.

"Strider is going to fetch the monkey." He smiled and playfully shoved his friend after the screeching animal.

"Me?!"

"Yes, you! Now, go chase him over here so as I can nab him." Legolas gave the plans for his trap. "Regetti? You go stand over there and make sure he doesn't go to the upper deck, Strider will guard the bow, and I'll catch him in the middle." Their plan was set in motion; however, it was never that easy to catch a monkey, and half an hour later they still had no prize. Jack came out of his cabin to see Legolas jumping up into the ropes in an attempt to trap the creature, but the monkey skillfully avoided his captor-to-be and darted higher into the mass of cords.

"What are you doing?" Jack's brow knotted as Legolas attempted to free himself from the now tangled ropes.

"Getting the monkey! What does it look like?" The frustrated elf answered, finally freeing himself from the ropes that held him. When Jack started to laugh, Legolas soon regretted his choice of questions. "Don't answer that." Jack just smiled and readied his pistol. "Jack, don't!" Legolas protested as Jack prepared to shoot the poor monkey. Legolas did not know exactly what a pistol was, but he remembered that whatever you aimed one at usually died.

Jack pulled the trigger before the elf could stop him. With a loud noise the gun spewed out a puff of white smoke; the monkey screamed, but ran off otherwise unharmed, dropping once again Regetti's fake eye. Legolas stared in disbelief as the monkey ran off, he was shocked that it still lived. Jack laughed at the look on Legolas' face.

"Undead monkey! He can't die!"

Legolas' expression turned to awe, a monkey that couldn't die? He was reminded of exactly how odd this place really was. Laughing, Jack went away to talk with Gibbs, about what, though, Legolas could not guess.

"Thank you sir, I uh.." Regetti was cut off by the elf he was addressing

"It's Legolas."

"Oh! I remember, sorry, but... oh, never mind. Thank you." The pirate rubbed his fake eye and headed off below deck. He removed a small book from where it was tucked under his arm and looked at its cover as he descended the steps.

"Hey!" Legolas called after the man, he wanted to hear whatever Regetti had been going to say. Aragorn joined him from the bow as he followed the man. They found him sitting on a hammock in the main sleeping deck, attempting to read the small book. Legolas was not fooled by the man, who held the book very obviously upside down.

"Can you read?" He already knew the answer, but he asked anyway. Regetti looked up at him in slight guilt and closed the book, but did not reply. Legolas raised an eyebrow when he was not forth-coming, Regetti's gaze found the floor a more interesting place to look, rather then the elf's face.

"No." The whisper was barely audible.

Legolas smiled at him, at least the man could admit it. "Would you like to learn?" The elf asked, and immediately the pirate's head shot up, a smile spreading across his face.

"You can read?"

Legolas nodded and sat on the ground next to the man. Aragorn had stayed at the base of the stairs and was content with watching the two, he smiled broadly as Legolas informed their new friend that he had been holding the book upside down. Legolas asked the ranger to go see if they had any writing utensils aboard the ship, and the ranger ran up to Jack's cabin.

"Jack? Do you have and pens or parchment?" Aragorn stood outside the Captain's quarters, knocking on the door. The light force of his knock caused the door to swing open to reveal an empty room. Cautiously, Aragorn entered the room and began to examine it; wide windows covered the back wall and a large table took up most of the room. Maps, charts, and navigating supplies were laid everywhere; making his way around the table the ranger found what he had come for, a small stack of parchment was laying in the corner. Aragorn took a few and quickly located a feather pin and ink well.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Jack's voice came from behind him; the ranger stood and spun around and offered the paper and pen as an excuse for his presence. "What, you writin' somthin'?"

"No, Jack." Aragorn rolled his eyes, his words dripping in sarcasm.

"I see! What _are_ you doin' then?"

Aragorn rolled his eyes again. "I'm _writing_ something, what else would I be doing with these?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you." Jack's smirk grew larger. Aragorn laughed lightly at the pirate and pushed past him.

"Thanks, Jack."

Jack's smile got even wider as he left. "Who you writin' to? Yer mum? Don't think she'll get it out here!" Jack remembered that Aragorn wasn't from around here... At all.

"No, Jack, not a letter!" Aragorn called over his shoulder as he went back below deck, without further explanation for the pirate. Legolas and Regetti no longer sat where he had left them, but the ranger found them eventually; after searching every row of hammocks and beds he came back to the cabin Jack had given them. He found Legolas telling what sounded like a grand story for young ones; Regetti sat on the floor intently listening to Legolas, who sat on the edge of the one of the beds, reading from a small, but thick book.

Both looked fascinated as the story wove on; it seemed to be about a small shepherd boy. Aragorn sat down quietly next to the pirate and laid the pen and parchment on the small desk. Legolas continued without interruption.

The story told about how the young boy's country went to battle, and were challenged by a great giant. The small boy went to his king, because he wanted to face the giant. Under any other circumstance Aragorn would have thought the boy crazy; facing a giant with a stick and sling. The giant had a spear and sword! But this time he did not think it foolish; the boy trusted God, and that was all that mattered. All three of them: the elf, ranger, and pirate listened and read as the boy slew the giant with a single stone.

"_'This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.'_" Legolas read the cry of the boy before he hurled a stone from his sling into the giant's forehead and slew him.

The pen and paper were forgotten as they went on to another story. It seemed that the book did not need to be read from front to back, and one could skip to different sections without messing up the story. It was Aragorn's turn to read now; picking a chapter much further into the book, he found a story about a different man. His story seemed quite long, so Aragorn read only the ending. It was a story of a great man, who spoke of a God and Heaven, but it was also a story of betrayal, and Aragorn almost stuttered as he read of how the man was beaten and killed.

"_'Truly this man was the Son of God.'_" Aragorn read the words of one of the man's killers, saddened by what had been done. Looking down to the other two listening to him read, Aragorn could barely see a tear roll down Regetti's face. The room was now quite dark, and Legolas had gotten up to light a few candles. Holding one out to Aragorn, he allowed the man to continue the story. It soon became a story of miracles; the man rose from death, brought back from the grave by God. Aragorn finished the story and looked up once again, Regetti's tears were gone and he looked very happy now. The great man named Jesus still lived!

"Can I read?" He asked hesitently. He didn't know how, but he really liked the book and wished to read more.

Aragorn yawned and looked out his window to see the moon rising over the horizon. "Maybe tomorrow we can teach you, Regetti... Why don't you go to bed?" The pirate's morale visibly lowered at the words, he wanted to read more now… Legolas caught Aragorn's eyes, imploring him to let the man stay. The pirate slowly got up to go, but Legolas blocked his path.

"No, stay here. If you're awake enough to learn, I'm awake enough to teach." He smiled at his new friend, and the man's face lit up as he nodded quickly to the elf.

Aragorn flopped onto one of the small beds in the cabin and fell asleep to the odd conversation; many a, "No, 'a' makes an 'awe' sound there" and "so what do you think this says?" were thrown around, and Aragorn was positive he would be dreaming of spelling and grammar that night.

It was odd, the story had been familiar. His father told him a story much like the one they had read; about a great man who lived and died and rose in Middle Earth; The Son of Eru himself, named _Eruion_. Aragorn was now convinced that his new world was not so much different after all. Maybe since he put his faith in Eruion in his own world, and Eru had promised that this faith would save his soul… maybe it was the same here. Maybe he had read the story that would save Regetti's soul, and his own, and Legolas'. Maybe…No! not maybe; it was true!

Aragorn smiled as he fell asleep; he knew that if Regetti trusted in the man he had read of, he would go to heaven the same as Aragorn and Legolas would, because they had put their own faith in God's son.

Aragorn opened his eyes slowly to the rocking of the boat, his back was stiff and he rolled over in the hard bed he had spent a short amount of the night in. A broad smile quickly stole across his face; Regetti and Legolas had both fallen asleep in the two chairs by the desk. Aragorn rose to survey the scene; Legolas lay sideways in the chair, his legs thrown over the arm and his head resting against the wall, his mouth hung slightly open, and Aragorn fought to stifle a laugh at the sight. Regetti was asleep with his head against the desk and a feather pen in his hand, many scribbled pieces of parchment lay about; covered with both Legolas' graceful penmanship and Regetti's attempts to match it. The small book lay open on Legolas' lap.

"The boats! Everyone into the boats!" Aragorn heard Jack's voice from outside the door; Regetti woke immediately at the captain's orders. Dropping the pen, he pulled his boots back on. Legolas, however, took a little bit more work, and Aragorn was able to show a very amused and amazed Regetti the fact that elves sleep with their eyes open before bothering the prince.

The three soon came out of the cabin and up into the light of the morning, the rest of the crew had already begun lowering and loading the two life boats into the water; they were quickly ushered into the second. The boats were guided towards land and into the inlet of a small river. As they traveled, the woods got thicker and thicker, and the river slower and calmer. Silence hung upon the group, no one seemed to want to be here.

"Why is Jack afraid of the open ocean?" Will asked Gibbs at last, finally inquiring to the reasons they were there.

"Well, if you believe such things... there's a beast that does the bidding of Davy Jones, a fearsome creature with giant tentacles that'll suction your face clean off!" Gibbs made motions to occupancy his words. "And drag an entire ship down into the crushing darkness... _The Kraken_."

The entire party, even the entire woods, seemed disturbed by the name, but no one interrupted. "They say the stench of its breath is... Ewugh." Gibbs shivered at the thought. "Imagine, the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken, and the reeking odor of a thousand rotting corpses."

Regetti shivered and shrank back as he rowed the boat on with Pintel, and Aragorn himself wondered if it was true.

"If you believe such things." Gibbs finished with a humorless laugh. Will eyed him oddly, he knew the man did believe such things, whether he himself did or not.

"And the key will spare him that?" He asked.

"Well, that's the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough, even to visit... _Her_."


	3. Chapter 3

"_Her?_" William cocked his head at the word.

"Aye... _Her._" Gibbs let the unexplained name hang.

Aragorn and Legolas contemplated "The Kraken" for the rest of the trip; as the sun went down and the forest lightning bugs came out, they finally reached their destination.

"No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are...were...have been...before." Jack's confidence fell with every word.

"I'll watch yer back." Gibbs assured, following his captain onto the landing by the small shack of a house they had come to, and climbing the ladder that lead up to the porch.

"It's me front I'm worried about." Jack turned at the top before sneaking over to the door.

"Mind the boat." Gibbs turned to Will.

"Mind the boat." Will turned to Regetti.

"Mind the boat."

"Mind the boat."

"Mind the boat."

"Mind the boat."

"Mind the boat." The message was passed down until only Cotton, the mute pirate with a talking parrot remained.

"Awk! Mind the boat!" The bird squawked and flew off, leaving its owner to do just that.

Jack cautiously pushed open the unlocked door and looked in the broken window, the woman inside raised her head from her work to greet him.

"Jack Sparrowww!" She drew out her words, her language barely English. Jack immediately stood up straight and went in.

"Tia Dalma!" He returned the greeting. Walking forward and almost hitting a jar of…something, hanging from the ceiling of the very strangely decorated room. Many strange things hung about the place; the dull flickering light of the many candles that hung all over the walls revealed jars and piles of old junk

"I always knew the wind was goin' ta blow you back to meh one day." Tia stood from her table and approached the pirate, affectionately smiling at him, her dirty brown teeth showing through her dark lips and the brown skin surrounding it. He long shaggy hair was bundled in many dark dreadlocks.

Gibbs, Marty, Regetti, and Pintel filed in behind Jack, but Will lingered in the doorway, eyeing its frame cautiously.

"You!" Tia immediately sobered and turned towards the young man, approaching him slowly she disregarded Jack's presence. "You have a touch of...destiny about you!" She studied Will, examining him up and down, before finally making eye contact. "William Turner."

Will's brow furrowed at the mention of his name, he had never met this woman before! He was sure to have remembered such a meeting if one had ever transpired. "You know me?" Will cocked his head to the side as Tia drew closer; her gaze never leaving his face.

"You want to know me." She grinned at him almost mischiviously. Will backed away in slight fear.

"There'll be no knowing here! We've come for help, and we are not leaving without it." Jack grabbed the woman's arm and began directing her away. "I thought _I_ knew you!" He said as Legolas and Aragorn glanced around, having come last to the door.

Tia sighed, "Not as well as I would hope…" She trailed off when she saw the cautious duo in the doorway. "You two!" Tia pushed Jack's hand off her shoulder and approached the bewildered pair, standing back she looked them over; a strange, overwhelming feeling was emanating from them, but what it meant: she did not know. Looking into Legolas' face she could have said he was Will's brother, if she had not already known that Will was an only child. "Who are you?" She asked quietly, lifting a hand to run a finger lightly along Legolas' cheek and jawbone, tracing the angular lines of his smooth face fondly.

Legolas stiffened unnaturally and the muscles in his jaw tightened at her touch; he looked down at the woman through narrowed eyes, his breathing hitched as he felt her fingers running down his chin, and a shiver ran down his spine.

Aragorn looked at his friend, trying to read the elf's face, but he found something he least expected: fear. Legolas reeled at her contact and uncomfortable closeness, he took a step back only to find a wall behind him. Tia smiled enticingly and a wild flicker ran through her eyes that scared the elf more then he cared to admit. It was as if she knew a part of him, but it was not the knowledge that frightened the elf; it was the fear that she wanted to know more. It was as if she could see into his soul, a feeling he was not at all comfortable with.

"Daro!" He said quietly but firmly in elvish, ordering the woman to halt; before the word was even out of his mouth, though, the revolting woman turned to his friend. Aragorn was playing with the ring Barahir that rested on his index finger, discreetly slipping it off and onto his ring finger. Tia missed this movement, only saw the ring; a wedding ring, she presumed. She took one more sideways glance at the man, in slight disappointment, before Jack interrupted her.

"Tia, we need help, and I refuse to leave without it!"

Legolas closed his eyes and breathed deep, putting his head down in simple relief that the woman had retreated.

"Come." Tia told Jack, circling the table and leaving the elf and ranger by the door.

"Come." Jack repeated, unnecessarily, to the others. He pointed as he stepped beside the table; Will walked by him and sat down in a chair Tia pulled out for him. While the crew gathered around, Legolas slipped outside; when Aragorn saw the look on his friend's face he followed him out. The wooden boards creaked under his weight, but they held.

"Legolas?" He softly asked the elf as he walked up behind the other; Legolas turned to look at him, a frightened look in his eyes.

"Something is wrong with that woman, Strider... I mean it. Just her touch is enough to scare me... It is...I don't know. It is evil, whatever it is." Legolas rubbed his cheek as if trying to send the sensation away. "I think I'm just going to...stay out here." He turned and went down the ladder, telling Cotton to go and fetch his parrot and that he would watch the boats.

"Legolas?" Aragorn followed him down. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just... I want some fresh air." The elf looked up to see the first stars coming out.

"Alright... I'm going back in there...I want to hear more about all this.. Maybe I can find out what's wrong." Aragorn once again mounted the ladder and hoisted himself up onto the platform in front of the door, almost laughing when he heard the word "creepy" whispered from the elf behind him. He snuck back in and leaned on the door frame as Will laid out the cloth that Jack had given him.

"We're looking for this...And what it goes to."

Aragorn inched closer to see what it was: a drawing of a strange looking key. Tia stopped for a moment staring at the cloth, then she turned quickly to Jack.

"The compass you bartered from me. It cannot lead you to dis?"

"Maybe...why?" He responded flippantly.

"Aaaah… Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants!" Tia smiled and sat down in a large chair on her side of the table, opposite of Jack's. "Ar... do know, but are loathe to claim it as yer own?" she laughed.

Aragorn was now totally lost in the exchange of words; Jack ignored the question pointedly.

"Yer key go to a chest! An' it what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?" She asked, once again in broken English, looking at Will.

"What is inside?" Gibbs asked, leaning forward.

"Gold? Jewels? Unclaimed properties of a valuable nature?" Pintel guessed.

"Nothing... bad, I hope." Rigetti added unsurely.

"You know of... Davy Jones?" Tia asked them; the name seemed to affect their mood immediately. "Yes? A man of de sea! An' great sea love! Until, he run afoul on that witch vex all men."

"What vexes all men?" Will questioned.

Tia touched his hand lightly, almost petting it. "What, indeed." She smiled enticingly.

"The sea?" Gibbs interjected.

"Sums!"

"The dichotomy of good and evil?" Pintel and Regetti guessed, the last answer the strangest.

Jack glanced between them, rolling his eyes. "A woman." He stated it simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"A wo-man!" Tia repeated. "He fell in love."

Aragorn looked to the floor as he thought of his own love; Arwen.

"No, no, no, no, I heard it was the _sea_ he fell in love with!" Gibbs interrupted the ranger's thoughts.

"Same story, different versions, but all are true!" Tia waved her finger in the air. "See, it was a _woman_ as changing, and harsh, and untamable as the sea. Him never stop loving her! But the pain it cause 'im was to much to live wid. But not enough to cause him to die."

"What… _exactly_ did he put into the chest?" Will was growing frustrated with the unintentional probing of his own love.

"Him heart." Tia motioned towards her chest and put the answer bluntly at last.

"Literally or figuratively?" Regetti inquired

"He couldn't lit'relly put his heart a the chest!" Pintel assured his friend, but was unsure himself: "...could he?"

Tia almost laughed at the comments. "It was not wort' feeling what…small fleeting joy life brings, and so... Him carve out him heart, lock it away in a chest, an' hide de chest from de worl'. De keys, he keep wid him at all times."

Will stood to face Jack; this was an imposable mission now. "You knew this." It was a statement, not a question.

"I did not!" Jack said quickly. "I didn't know where the key was, but now we do. So all that's left to do is climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save yer bonny lass, ok!" Jack snapped his fingers and turned to leave.

"Let me see yer 'and." Tia stopped him, standing up and reaching towards the captain.

Jack first offered his right hand but was not received; so he, reluctantly, placed his left hand in hers and she began to unwind the bandage he had wrapped tightly around it. It uncovered a throbbing, horrid looking black spot on his palm; Gibbs was the first to respond.

"Uhh! The black spot!" he yelled, wiping his hands on his chest, spinning in a small circle and spitting on Jack's feet.

"Black spot!"

"Black spot!" Aragorn rolled his eyes as Pintel and Regetti quickly did the same.

"My eyesight's as good as ever, just so you know!" Jack changed the subject quickly as Tia went farther back into a different room in the shack; the noise of things crashing and snatches of what she was muttering: "I am just…My little-- Where are you?" could be heard outside in the main room; she soon returned bearing a jar.

"Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but every ten years. Land is where you are safe Jack Sparrow, and so you will carry land wid you." She handed him the jar.

Jack looked the useless thing over. "Dirt. This is a jar of dirt".

"Yes?"

"Is the… jar of dirt going to help?"

"If you don't want it, give it back." Tia offered to take it off his hands.

"No!" Jack hugged the dirt closer to him.

"Den it helps."

"It seems," Will spoke up. "we have a need to find the Flying Dutchman." He folded and placed the drawing back in his pocket.

"A touch..." Tia picked up what seemed to be crab claws off the strangely marked table. "Of destiny!" She threw them down.

Aragorn shrank out of the room immediately. He did not like this kind of 'magic' and did not want to partake in any part of it. Legolas looked up as he heard him come down the ladder, he did not want to be here, but it seemed better here then inside. He raised an eyebrow as the ranger took a seat next to him.

"Witchcraft." The man whispered, keeping his eyes down. "You were right, mellon-nin, it is evil. And if that works I will be more then amazed."

After a few minutes the others came out of the shack. "We have our heading!" Jack said, climbing aboard the first life boat and making ready to 'cast off'.


	4. Chapter 4

"_That's_ the Flying Dutchman?" Will looked at the broken ship just starboard of the rail he was leaning against, his vision slightly distorted by the pounding rain and the darkness of the night around them. "She doesn't look like much."

"Neither do you! Do _not_ underestimate her." Jack appeared beside Will at the railing, Gibbs on his heels.

It had taken two days of searching to find the ship, with Tia's instructions to search the farthest open sea trade routes heading to and from Tortuga; it was when the storm rolled in that they found what they were looking for. Bright flashes of lightening lit up the broken figure of the ship, and Aragorn gazed doubtfully from under his dark hood at the supposedly frightening ship.

He and Legolas had spent most of the trip reading the small book that Regetti had informed them was called the Bible. Aragorn was now thoroughly convinced that this new world was, in fact, much like his own in a way; the God of this world and the God of his own were the same. He also knew that most of the truths of his faith were true here as well. It gladdened his heart and set his mind to ease to know that Eru still watched over him, even here in this seemingly forsaken world of undead pirates.

"Must've run afoul of the reef." Aragorn heard Gibbs say, after being elbowed in the ribs by Jack, as an excuse.

"So what's yer plan, then?" Jack looked to Will for something he probably should have been doing himself. Aragorn rolled his eyes at the lack of captaining the captain was doing, as Legolas joined him at the rail, a little further down from the others.

"I row over, search the ship until I find your bloody key!" Will was obviously frustrated that _he_ was the one doing this instead of Jack.

"If there are crewman?" Jack inquired.

"I cut down anyone in my path." Will said bluntly, turning to get into the life boat prepared for him so that he could row over to the wrecked ship.

"I like it. Simple, easy to remember!" Jack quickly said to Gibbs before he turned to Will, who was climbing down into the small boat, surrounded by crashing waves.

"Your chariot awaits you, sire! Ha, ha-ha-ha, ha-ha!" Legolas heard Pintel laugh.

Jack ignored Pintel's mocking and called down to Will. "Will! I wouldn't go alone, mate… Take uh…" He looked up to see the elf and ranger standing close by. _Perfect._ "Take Strider and Legolas with you!"

"Jack?!" Aragorn protested, he was not enjoying this trip to the 'Caribbean' and he knew that anything involving an enemy ship would make it even worse. Jack stopped him, holding his shoulder and looking him square in the face.

"Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"

It was true: the man had never done anything to the ranger's harm, or that of his friend's. Aragorn looked down and shook his head, he still did not wish to do this. Jack motioned Legolas over and all but pushed the two down the steep, wet ladder leading to the small boat. Will waited for the two to get settled before cutting the rope that held their transport to the Pearl; he looked grimly at the two, of course Jack had picked the two men Will was the least fond of to accompany him.

"Oi! If you do happen to get captured, just say that Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt! Might save yer life!" The trio heard Jack yell over the waves as they pushed off. The man's words were no comfort, and only served to add to the suspicion of why the captain had not gone himself.

"Bon voyage! Ha-ha-ha!" Legolas frowned when he heard Pintel shouting, but he simply continued to stare blankly at the single lantern they had brought with them; the other two men fought the oars, boat, and the sea around them for control. Legolas did _not_ want to be here. He looked up to the ship they were leaving from as the small flecks of lantern light were doused, one by one, until they were all gone and the ship faded into the dreary night. His jaw muscles tightened; Jack was a coward, and Legolas was now confident that the man had put them in harm's way.

As soon as they reached the broken ship, Legolas jumped from the small boat onto the deck of the other vessel; he tied the boat to the sunken craft and helped the others on. Will carried the lantern over the flooded deck; the ship was slowly, yet surely sinking, it seemed. He walked to the port side of the ship looking for any signs of life. Waves continued to slam into the ship as he hoisted the lamp above his head; something caught their eyes, a man was on the ship. His bloodied hands were still pulling a small rope ever downward. If the man noticed the three of them, he made no response, muttering something to himself.

Legolas was able to catch some of what the man was saying over the wind. "…Draw up the…"

"Sailor!" Will called to the injured sailor, but the man still didn't respond, he continued to pull and mutter in fear; or shock.

"…the stench…capsized…"

"_Sailor!_"

"…bring up the jib…Captain's orders..."

Will's lantern finally caught the man's eye as Will spoke again. "There's no use, you've run aground." The man continued to pull at the rope, hoisting nothing at all.

"No!" The man's voice shook as he stopped for only a moment. "Beneath us! Foul breath!"

Legolas thought back to the horror story Gibbs had told them on the way to Tia Dalma's. Running to the stern, he looked into the water, but could see nothing through the dark and rain. A splash drew his attention back towards his friends. A man had fallen into the water and Aragorn knelt to help him up, flipping him over.

Aragorn gasped and backed away, staring at the faceless body of the man before him. Gibbs' words echoed in his head, _'Giant tentacles that'll suction your face clean off!'_

Will hung the lantern upon a hook on the mast and went to help, but was taken aback by the sight before him as well. The sudden crashing of water brought his attention to the waters beyond the port rail. The shape of a large ship could be seen rising out of the deep; water drained out of the cannon ports and off the deck of the emerging ship. Will had guess wrong before: _That's_ the Flying Dutchman.

He leapt up to the side of the ship, waiting for the Dutchman's next move; Aragorn followed him up, grabbing the ropes for support, he stood on one of the cannons on the top of the deck. The huge ship pulled to the broadside of the sinking vessel on which they stood.

Legolas turned to watch the appearing ship, but suddenly had worse things to worry about. As he turned, he saw a dark figure appearing from the wall; blinking, he did a double take, and more appeared. The figures walked slowly towards him and came into the light of the moon as the ship behind Legolas came to a halt. They were all around him, he realized.

"Down on your marrowbones, and pray!" A voice shouted behind him, and the attack began. Hideous creatures that looked to be made more of coral and sea creatures then flesh and bone assaulted the elf. He dodged a swipe from a many toothed saw-like weapon only to have his feet knocked from under him by a heavy chain.

Aragorn and Will turned to see the onslaught after hearing the 'marrowbones' comment. _What a good idea!_ Aragorn thought, seeing for the first time the grotesque shape of his new adversaries. The creature who made the comment charged he and Will with a pair of 'chain shot' in his hands, chains fused to two cannon balls, one at either end. Will grabbed the rigging above his head and jumped down behind the man, drawing his sword he deflected a blow from an oncoming creature to his left. Aragorn held his position on the railing with his long sword valiantly as the creatures seemed to swarm in on them.

Legolas kicked up hard and landed a solid blow to one of his attacker's faces, before jumping back on his feet. He pulled out his ivory handled blades and struck out at the man before him, delivering a fatal wound to his throat. The creature was taken aback for only a moment before it returned with a strike of his own. _Oh no_. Not more of them. Could no pirate be killed?

Will stabbed a man in the stomach, knocking him to the ground and moved on to yet another one, parrying a blow aimed for his head he saw an advantage. Dipping his blade down into a barrel opened by a faulty swipe of a sword, he brought his own sword back up, perfect. With one swift move, Will broke the lantern still hanging on the mast; his whole sword was almost instantly aflame.

"Get back! Back!" Will yelled at his enemies; fire seemed to do a fine trick on them.

Legolas and Aragorn had found each other in the skirmish and now fought their way to Will's side together, and the distraction of the flaming sword giving them the upper hand on their enemies. Aragorn smiled at the young blacksmith, it was a nice trick indeed. But what happened when the flame went down? One of the strange men charged between them and the barrel that supplied Will with his flame. Legolas slashed him quickly, but two more men came to take the downed man's place. The three circled around each other, waiting their opponents out, but it is they who were out-waited. The fish-men slowly made the circle ever smaller before charging all at once.

"Will!" Legolas called a warning just too late before the man was knocked on the back of the head, falling limply to the deck. Aragorn's arm was locked in a hold as the strange fan shaped weapon was thrust up the length of his sword while he stabbed, getting the leverage to fling his sword right out of his hands. A man gripped Aragorn's wrists as another brought his fist up under Aragorn's chin, smashing his head back into the mast behind him, he slumped unconscious against the pole.

Legolas found himself alone, and cried out in startled pain as the strange chain weapon whipped around him, hitting him square between the shoulder blades. Another heavy chain wrapped tightly around his ribs before coming up and slamming him in the chest. The blow brought him to the ground, where a sharp pain to his skull sent him into darkness.

_ Boom_

_Boom_

_Boom_

Legolas had heard many a myth in his Elven lifetime, but none so strange as this. He looked around at his captors from his place in the line they had placed him, Aragorn, Will, and what was left of the crew aboard the sinking ship in. They were no longer on that wrecked vessel, but seemed to be on the ship that had come up beside it. Legolas saw the faces of the creatures that had come upon them before, they were like men, but mutated. It seemed that the sea itself and all the creatures in her had consumed and possessed these men; one had a head like a hammerhead shark and another a leg that looked to be made of sea weed.

_ Boom_

_Boom_

_Boom_

"Seven men still alive, the rest have moved on." The hammerhead reported to his captain as the officer approached his captives. He wore a tattered and barnacled tricon and a torn jacket; his face seemed that of a man or an octopus; a beard of squirming tentacles sprouted from his chin and his left hand was a giant crab claw.

_ Boom_

_Boom_

With the slow pounding that matched the captain's awkward strides, Legolas saw that his right leg looked to be that of a crab. It slammed hard on the deck of the ship, sending shivers up his spine. He could guess who this man was, simply from the stories told on the Pearl; stories told at night and in secret, stories no one wanted to hear. Davy Jones, the Captain of the Flying Dutchman. Davy looked over the line of seven men, spying one with a slash wound across his face, shivering and whimpering out of far more then cold. Kneeling in front of the man he pulled out a small pipe.

"Do you fear death?" He said in a deep voice, casually lighting the pipe and blowing the flame out with some device of his tentacles. "Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished." Jones breathed an intoxicating smoke to go along with his words. The man quickly nodded his head in fear with every word Davy snarled in his sickly way. "I can offer you... An escape." He said in a strange accent, as the man finally looked up into his face.

Aragorn sat next to the poor, shivering man; he had heard enough. He knew of the place Davy described: The Void, but he also knew he wasn't going there. Eru himself had said so in that book, The Bible. Eru had also said that _He_ was the _only_ escape.

"Don't listen to him!" Aragorn spoke up, bringing Jones' attention away from the other man. Davy snapped his head to the left quick enough to startle Aragorn, but he held his own, making eye contact and letting Jones see that he meant what he had said.

Legolas bit his lip. Why did the ranger always get into this kind of trouble? But he knew that he would have done the same had only the ranger not beaten him to it.

"Do you _not_ fear death?" Jones asked, thrusting his crabbed claw of a hand forward, he grabed Aragorn's throat in a tight vice lined with sharp ridges.

Aragorn sat, unable to breath for a moment, before looking up to Davy to answer. "No…" He ground out boldly, his hands had gone instinctively to his captor's, trying to pry the claw off enough to breathe and talk.

"WHAT?!" Davy asked angrily as he picked Aragorn up, practically flinging the man to his feet and into the main mast. Aragorn's head made hard contact with the wood, but he stayed conscious, and Davy pinned him by his neck in this standing position. "What did you say?" Davy smiled as he tightened his grip on the ranger's windpipe.

"I said _no_..." It took all of Aragorn's strength to force Davy's hand off of him, leaving many bloody cuts in a collar around his whole neck, and the tips of his fingers. Two of his captor's men quickly grabbed his now torn hands and pulled them back behind him, tying them behind the mast and keeping the ranger pinned to the spot. Aragorn's thoughts raced back to the story Tia Dalma had told them of what Davy had done.

"I said no because you are weak." Davy's smile faded as Aragorn spoke, but he kept his peace for now. "Weak because you cannot withstand pain; the pain of knowing that when it really matters, when it really counts, when My Father comes and takes me home"- Aragorn remembered the foretelling story in the Bible of how God would come back again for His children -"You will not be in that number, Davy Jones, you will _NOT._

"You lost your chance. You lost all your chances! You repeatedly denied the grace of God, and have taken the deception of the devil himself! But I did not; I accepted that gift. You cannot really do anything to me. You _cannot_ do _anything_ to me, do you hear? If I die, if you kill me, I will not go to that horrible hole of fire and sulfur; I will go to a Paradise beyond imagination. And anyone else aboard this ship, or in this world even, that accepts that gift will go too." The words were out of Aragorn's mouth before he even realized that he wasn't in the world he knew, but he figured it had to be the same here.

"You think you control life and death, but you do not, because you yourself are dead. And you think you know love, but you can not understand the smallest aspect of love until you know my Father." He had always loved how God was like his Father, and he used the example now, before turning back to his original reasoning. "You cannot withstand pain, Davy Jones, so you must inflict upon others to deceive yourself that it relieves you of your own pain." Aragorn at last remembered why the man before him had cut out his own heart. "Forgive these men and I for not realizing earlier that you are the slimiest weakling to ever crawl the earth!" The ranger spat out, finishing off his speech.

"Enough!" Davy yelled, he had grown impatient with the boy long ago, but only now did he strike. His right fist came in a hard up cut landing square in Aragorn's stomach. All the air was forced from Aragorn's lungs and the ranger fell to his knees gasping, he curled over his stomach as best as his bound hands would allow. Four strong hands pulled him up into a sitting position on his knees, his ankles on either side of the mast took most of his weight painfully, and the giant pole made it impossible for him to stand. They looped a rope around his shoulders, tying it so he was kept in a sitting up straight position.

Aragorn took the short respite to seek out the eyes of his friend. Legolas' pained blue eyes locked onto his in a plea to let him help, but the ranger quickly denied the plea before another blow was thrown. Davy's booted left foot came up hard in the man's ribs, pushing the air again from his already aching lungs. This time the man could not reel and double over, the tight ropes held him back and left his stomach fully exposed to anything Davy might throw. The captain continued to throw a growing onslaught of blows to his abdomen and ribs, gaining speed with every contact.

Aragorn's oxygen deprived body tried to crumble under the abuse, but his bonds held him fast, as his eyes filled with pain induced tears. He couldn't breathe, and more air then the ranger thought he had was forced out of his lungs again and again, he had no time to suck in precious oxygen before another boot full of fury landed; he did not have the air or energy to moan anymore, much less cry out as he had with the first blow.

Legolas could take it no longer, with one more glance at the man guarding them he sprang to his feet. The force of his lunge, and the weight of his body slammed into his friend's tormentor, and easily knocked him to the ground due to the fact that Davy's foot was in a backswing. Davy stared at the brave being who dared to assault him as he stood to his feet. Two men grabbed Legolas' arms and were quickly thrown to the ground for their troubles, but they came right back and once again tried to attempt to restrain the wild elf, who continued to lash out at them; even without his knives he proved an excellent fighter.

Davy backed up and rounded the brawl as Legolas persisted to fight, and even when the men grabbed his arms again and pinned them to his sides he had a comeback: he dropped to the floor and lashed out with his feet until he could escape their grasp.

"Stop!" The firm command from behind him caught Legolas by surprise, he spun around to see Davy once again holding Aragorn by the throat in his claw. The ranger struggled wildly against the tight ropes that held him, they cut his wrists mercilessly, but that was not the worst of his troubles. He couldn't breathe, and the blood flow was blocked from his head. He felt like his head would explode any minute now; his vision blurred and his hearing was distorted by the roar in his ears. His body's reactions to cough and swallow brought him only more pain.

For Davy's men the distraction was just enough to get a hold on the elf; five of them grabbed his arms at once and quickly binding them behind his back. Legolas submitted to their will, as he stared in shock at his friend being suffocated before his eyes. The ranger's movements began to slow to a halt and his head started to lower limply against the hand-claw holding him.

"Let him go!" Legolas screamed. Davy only looked up and laughed cruelly, waiting an agonizingly long moment before pulling his hand back sharply and allowing the man to breathe before he had a chance to pass out completely. Aragorn gasped greedily for air and slumped against the mast he was still tethered to.

"Take that blonde filth to the brig." Davy said in disgust. "This one can stay here a bit longer to learn his own lesson… they say actions speak louder then words… I beg to differ." Davy kicked Aragorn hard in the stomach once more before he turned back to the five other captives.

Legolas was quickly escorted to a door leading down to the bottom of the ship; he turned to look at his friend, still recovering from the abuse, and a hard slap brought his face back to looking in front of him. He glared daggers at the man holding his arm, it seemed that his cheek was like the side of a puffer fish covered in spikes.

"You'll see your friend soon enough… just pray he's in one piece!" The man laughed as he shoved Legolas down the stairs.

"Cruel blighter!" One of the half-dead men shot out, the only one bold enough to speak up.

"Life is cruel!" Davy turned back to the man quickly, emptying the still smoldering ashes from his pipe on his crablike wrist. "Why should the afterlife be any different?" He asked sharply, tapping his own crab craw arm. He walked forward and stopped in front of the man, who was now staring in fear at the beaten ranger tied to the mast. "I offer you a choice: Join my crew, and postpone the judgment… or join _him._" Davy leaned back to give the man a full view of Aragorn's slumped, miserable form. "One hundred years before the mast… Will ye serve?"

"I-I will serve."

Aragorn almost visibly flinched at the man's deceived reply.

"There!" Davy's men laughed loudly at the man, tricked into becoming one of them. Davy continued down the line, his gaze falling last on William. Will had tried hard to hide most recognition of the ranger tied to the mast after what had happened to Legoals; it would be good to have at least _one_ of them outside of the brig that night, and he still wasn't willing to give what could be his life for the ranger he barely knew.

"You are neither dead nor dying!" He looked the man over and then glanced back at Aragorn. "Are you with them?"

"I…I came with them." Will stuttered. "But I…" Davy's frown was replaced by a large smile as he saw the fear behind Will's words, the man did not yet know the truth behind Aragorn's words. Davy laughed slowly but was brought back to the original question of how the boy had come to be here with nothing but a mere scratch on his head.

"What is your purpose here?"

Will remembered what Jack said about what to say if this came up. "Jack Sparrow sent us to settle his debt." He said quickly.

"_What_ is your purpose here?" Davy leaned closer with sudden interest. Jack Sparrow, was it?

"Jack Sparrow…sent us to settle his debt." Will said again, louder this time, but it was obvious the second time he said that he realized the meaning behind the words.

"Did he now?" Davy nodded slowly, it was more of hate filled laughter then words. "I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer!" He said sharply. Turning around he walked toward where Will guessed where the Pearl still floated. He peered past Davy to see the ship, far away and hidden in the night and thick fog, it could only be seen if you knew where to look. On further investigation, Will could spot a small figure, Jack, perhaps, looking through a telescope at them.

The next moment Davy was gone. He just disappeared entirely along with most of the crew. The crewmembers left behind looked at the startled looks on their captives' faces with laughter.

Will peered through the fog back to the Pearl, which he could see clearer now, for some of the fog had dissipated; he saw Davy, on the Pearl now, as the rest of the disappeared crew held the Pearl's own crew at bay, or sword point, as Davy approached Jack. He backed the betraying captain up towards the starboard railing before walking past him to the rail and turned back, Jack turned and followed him, pointing to the Dutchman he and Davy continued to speak.

After a time, Jack turned to leave but was blocked by one of the Dutchman's crew. Jack turned back to talk with Davy, who was apparently laughing.

Will desperately wished he knew of what they spoke as Jack slowly circled Jones; whatever enticing words he spoke, though, could only be guessed at, but the squid-faced captain stood in a trance for a moment, before turning to Jack. Davy grabbed Jack's hand and did what Will assumed was Davy's way of shaking it before turning away and walking back towards his own ship; and just as suddenly as he had disappeared he reappeared.

"You're a poor man when it comes to choosing friends, lad." Davy laughed at Will, smirking in a way only achievable by a man whose face was half covered in tentacles. "Welcome to the crew." He turned to his men. "These men can spend the night on the main sleeping deck, but take this one to the brig. A few nights there may hold his tongue." He motioned at last to Aragorn, who sat still, miserably tied to the mast.

The ropes holding Aragorn were quickly cut and he was pulled to his feet. The blood rushed out from his head, but it was not his head that failed him. His ankles and knees gave out beneath him; after being held in such a painful position for so long, they now refused the load so quickly thrust upon them. Aragorn fell to the ground, catching himself a second too late he slammed on the hard deck.

"Get up!" The hammer-headed man yelled, kicking Aragorn in his still burning and more then likely broken ribs. Aragorn's hand went immediately to his side, wrapping protectively around his ribs as he tried once more to stand. His lower limbs held, but just barely.

As he was led down the stairs his friend had graced not too long ago, Aragorn tried to steady his feet on the first flight, but was shoved down the next flight. His ankles once again failed him on the steep and slippery steps and he fell to the ground. Standing water covered most of the floor, not much where he landed due to the rocking of the ship, but he guessed there was enough to put an inch over the whole brig if it was level. He splashed lightly as he was drug to his feet and shoved into a cell.

"Strider!" Legolas called, he was in the cell right next to the ranger's and came as close as the bars would allow him as he helped the man to stand. Aragorn caught himself on the bars and shook his feet out. "What happened up there? Are you alright?" Legolas put his hand through the bars and lightly touched the raw and bleeding stripes on the side of Aragorn's neck where Davy had held him.

"I'll be alright, but… I don't think we'll be going anywhere soon." Aragorn looked around, the bars were solid enough, but it was the 'man' that stood guard that had him worried. "We'll be alright."

"Estel?" Legolas switched to Elvish. "I'm proud of you." He said quietly.

"Yeah? You liked that? You… you think it is true?" Aragorn was unsure of what Legolas thought about the little book they had been reading. "Or was it simply a foolish act that landed us both in more pain."

"Strider!" Legolas was surprised by the man. "Do you even think I could ever blame you for doing such a thing? No, mellon-nin, I would have done the same… You beat me to it." The elf smiled at his friend.

"Strider?" Will Turner's hesitant voice came from the stairs. "I, uh…" Will dropped his unsure gaze and decided to get straight to the point. "How did you do that out there?" He had been ashamed of his fear earlier, but after Aragorn and Legolas' actions he was even more ashamed, but also intrigued. "What you said… about God… you believe all that?"

"Yes, I do." Aragorn nodded, he was still in pain, but on this subject nothing could keep him from talking.

"Well… maybe you could teach me… I mean I… I don't feel very secure all of a sudden, but you seem to laugh at death's face. How can you be sure of what's going to happen after you die?"

Legolas smiled at William, the man was more intrigued then even Regetti it seemed.

"William... I trust God, and He says that He controls life, death, and what comes after death. He also says that there is only one way to get to Heaven." Aragorn continued as William slowly nodded. "His Son." Will's head perked up. In England, as a lad, his mother had mentioned such things; he knew his mother had been a Christian, but he himself didn't know how true it was. Surely a man could get to Heaven by living a good life…

"Yes, Will." Legolas almost read the man's mind. "The _only_ way. Because no matter how hard you work, or how good of a life you lead, you can not make it there. Even if you did only one bad thing in your life, you wouldn't get there, because everyone is a sinner. But if you truly trust in Him you'll get to Heaven, because-"

"Because He died for me." William cut Legolas off. He had heard the stories; they had been driven into his mind from a young age, but he had never heard them from men this… Strong.

"Yes! You know the story, then?"

Will nodded, he had for years, but only now did he think he could believe. "Yes… My mother told me as a boy…" Aragorn's smile only widened at his words. "So… what, He loves you, you trust Him, suddenly it is all better?"

"Well… Yes! It's more complicated then that, but… You have the basics. It's a relationship between God and me. He forgives me and loves me, and I trust Him and serve Him. Where I come from, he is known as 'Eru', and if you truly believe in Him and trust Him, He'll set you free! He'll give you strength and protection like a father would to a child." Aragorn smiled, but only for a moment. It seemed that 'Father' wasn't the best subject to use with William. Aragorn remembered now that Will felt abandoned by his father, the man had never told his son that he was a pirate. "A loving Father that will never let you down." He added.

"So… what do you mean Davy can't do anything to you?" Will inquired; if this loving protection and assurance was possible, he felt like he wanted it.

Legolas pulled a tiny slip of wet parchment out of his pocket and handing it to Will. _'So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'' -Hebrews 13:6_

Will did not understand the numbers at the end, but the message was loud and clear: Legolas and Strider had someone on their side that was even more powerful then Davy Jones.

"It was one of my favorite verses I found in that book, The Bible." Legolas said.

William now remembered how his mother used to read to him out of that book, the small, worn book that lay in the special place by the hearth. He nodded slowly at the memories and the words on the paper.

"Here is mine." Aragorn held out another piece of parchment, he and Legolas had both picked their favorite verse they had read thus far. '_For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomsoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. -John 3:16'  
_

"Do _you_ believe it, William?" Aragorn questioned at last.

"I… Yes… I think I can now believe what my mother told me for so many years, and what you are telling me now. So… what do I do now?"

Aragorn smiled. "Pray with me."

"Pray?" William only remembered prayer as something you were 'supposed' to do in church, at meals, and before bed. It was something he had not done since the day his mother died.

"You know… God can hear us all the time, but it is good to talk to Him directly. That is what to pray means, simply talk to the God who created you and saved you. This time, tell Him you are ready to accept His gift at last… but only if you mean it." Aragorn looked into William's eyes. He meant it.


	5. Chapter 5

"That's it?"

"That's it… Trust, believe, and let go. If you let go, and let Him have control. It is the only way He can help you. He strengthens the humble. You are here for a reason, but only He can reveal it to you; only He can make it happen.

"Thank you." William whispered. The simple but extraordinary knowledge heightened his spirits and gave him hope. "Now… maybe we could get you out of here…" Will observed the doors to the two cells his new friends were locked in. "Half pin barrel hinges…" he muttered.

"Leverage," Aragorn muttered back; he had seen the man before him spring Jack from prison in Port Royal and he knew Will could do it again.

"The guard." Legolas joined in the muttering. Will turned obsevered the cursed creature standing guard for the first time.

"We can take him."

"Then what?"

"There goes that plan."

"We'll be alright; I mean at least they cannot do anything to us while we are in here, right?" Aragorn submitted. "You just go back up there and don't worry too much." He tried to put a light face on the situation.

"Strider, we're on board the Flying Dutchman as captives and you want me to 'not worry too much'?" Will raised an eyebrow, causing Aragorn to sigh.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll not go back up there! I'd rather sleep on the floor down here then sleep in a hammock in a room filled with those…creatures." William found a barrel and rolled it over to use for a stool. "I'll stay right here if I have to." He plopped down on his new chair and leaned against the wall of the cell across from Aragorn's. "I'm comfortable enough." Will said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Aragorn almost laughed at the man's stubbornness. Will and Legolas were alike in more then just appearance. He turned and sat down on a small outcropping from the side of the sip. Legolas sat next to him, sitting sideways in a way so they would have been leaning on each other's backs were it not for the bars separating them.

"See, Legolas, I am not the only stubborn human." Aragorn said quietly in Elvish, looking at Will, who sat with his eyes closed leaning against the bars at his back.

Legolas smiled to himself about Aragorn's comment. He turned around slightly, lightheartedly poking Aragorn through the bars, then he settled back down into his earlier position. He looked over at Will from the corner of his eye; great, another "stubborn human". His heart was gladdened by the decision that his new friend had made today; it would effect him for the rest of his life and beyond, Legolas predicated. Slowly he allowed the rocking of the boat to lull him into a light sleep.

"Get up, you!" The guard grabbed Legolas by the arm and pulled him to his feet without bothering to wake him first. Legolas fell to the floor, blinking, he was dragged to his feet again. This time he kept his balance, bracing himself on the bars to his left. "The captain would like a little talk about your actions last night." The barnacle covered man laughed as he pushed the elf out of the brig door.

"What about Strider?" Legolas asked, he didn't know where he was going, but he didn't want to go anywhere that his friend wasn't going. William was already on his feet and following the guard and elf.

"You'll see your friend soon enough. Hey Maccus!" The guard called to the hammer-headed man that had accompanied him down. "Make sure the other one stays in his cage." He shoved Legolas roughly up the stairs. Maccus shot a warning glance at the bewildered ranger who stood at the door of his cell, having just woken only to find that he was being separated from his friends and left alone in the brig. The man would not be going anywhere, and Maccus would rather watch the show on the main deck, so after the warning, he followed the rest of the group up the stairs.

"Will," Aragorn whispered. "Please, go after them, make sure nothing…bad…happens. I'll take care of myself." He shooed the very confused man before him up the stairs.

As soon as they were gone, Aragorn went about getting himself out. He did not know what was going on up there, but he didn't like the sound of it. "Leverage," he thought out loud. What leverage? He couldn't remember. Grasping the cell door with both hands he pulled up hard, but the door did not budge. More leverage. He tore a rotten board off a crate that sat in the corner of his cell, shoving it into the door he propped it on his knee and pushed down hard. Once again nothing happened as the rotten wood snapped under his weight.

Sighing, his motions became swifter, the guards would not be gone long. He went back to the crate; only part of it was rotten. He began to work on one of the better boards frantically. By the time he had wedged the nails out his mind had gone into hyper drive; the guards were not back yet, but it could not be long. He shoved his new board in and repeated his earlier actions. The door shifted upwards; it was coming out. Years of rust and barnacled growth held it fast, but it was moving, ever so slowly. Aragorn increased the load pushing down on the board, almost there.

"You see, I cannot tolerate men such as yourself to go unpunished on my ship." Davy told the elf standing before him, held between two of his men. "My men drew straws last night and you have been elected to take the blame for you and your friend's actions last night. They've also decided that they would like to see you sweat." he laughed.

Legolas' brow furrowed, he did not know what Davy mean by that but he didn't think he wanted to find out. The crew laughed as Legolas was shoved forward into the middle of the large crowd toward the mast; they backed up into a neat circle around it, with plenty of room between them and the elf.

"Run." Davy told him.

"Run where? I am on a ship!" The elf was still waking up and he could make no sense out of the short command.

"I didn't say where." Davy laughed. "I said run." He pulled out his sword and pointed it towards the elf.

Legolas looked casually down at the sword in front of him; if only he had his knives. He looked up again and met Davy's eyes with a challenging glare. He wasn't running anywhere, and it would take more then a sword to convince him otherwise.

"Maybe a bit more persuasion is needed, hmm?" The squid-faced man received a long bull whip from the man beside him. "Last time; Run." He said, shaking it out.

Legolas held his ground, he would not give in to whatever twisted game Davy had planned, and the whip was not too great a threat. He shook his head and braced for the men to once again grab him. Davy laughed to himself as he flung the whip out at the elf; it caught him, forcefully wrapping around his ribs twice before finally hitting him hard in the chest. Legoals was caught by surprise when the narrow tip hit him with a resounding snap. Davy continued his swing all the way through, sending the elf to the ground. Legolas barely caught himself, his arms coming free of the tight loops a few moments too slow, and it took him a few moments to gather himself.

_Snap  
_

A sharp pain flashed through his entire body as the speeding tip of the whip made contact with his back, the force once again sending his face to the floor. Davy laughed at the large stripe now decorating Legolas' back as the elf stood to his feet. Once again he met the captain's eye with a defying glare, skillfully hiding the pain he could still very much feel.

Davy was growing impatient with his defiance; he struck out once more, sending the whip swinging over his head he hurled of his whole body at the elf. Legolas caught the whip, it wrapped quickly around his arm before snapping and sliding off just as quickly, leaving a bright, red stripe curving around his forearm, elbow to wrist.

Davy was at last fed up. "Bring the boy." He instructed his men.

Aragorn pushed harder down on the board, slowly pushing the door off its hinges. He had heard the stomach churning sound of a whip snapping and he knew he needed to get out _now_. The noise of someone coming down the stairs caught Aragorn by surprise, quickly ripping the board out from between the bars of the door, he threw it behind and sat down on the ledge he had slept on the night before, trying to still his racing heart. He rose to his feet as the door was unlocked, and the two men who had opened it quickly grabbed him by the arms and shoved him up the stairs. The large crowd seemed to all help in pushing him down towards the mast where he met his friend, casting a worried glance at his bleeding arm and the crimson stain that adorned the back of his tunic.

"Gentlemen," Davy addressed his men. "What think you? Will this whelp serve you well enough to share the punishment?" His words gave way for the men, who quickly grabbed Legolas, pulling him back to the edge of the still intact ring by his shoulders as two other men grabbed Aragorn. "I propose a vote." The captain once again addressed the sailors. "What shall his new punishment be?"

Many a shout went up.

"Kill him!"

"Flog him!"

"Cut off his ear!"

All things that the ranger would rather avoid, but the resounding one at the end was, "Keelhaul." Aragorn didn't know what it meant, but from the looks on most of the men's faces made him certain he did not want to find out any time soon.

They quickly stole from him his leather overcoat and tunic, leaving only the light shirt underneath. At one time it had been white; that time was long gone. He was soon void of that was well, and was pushed shirtless to the edge of the ship. A line was cast over the bow from both sides, looping around the entire hull of the ship; one end was brought up and used to bind the ranger's hands before him. The rope went straight down into the water off the starboard side, disappearing beneath the ship. The other end was grasped by many of the men, who looked ready to haul like there was no tomorrow.

"Stop!" Legolas cried; he did not know what they were doing, but from the situation it looked as if they were to drown the man. He frantically pushed through his captors, forcing his way into the circle, he was forced down to his knees as he reached Davy Jones' side. "I'll run. Where and how long? I'll run." A sinister smile crept over Davy's lips. Finally something that got through to the man.

"Around the mast; faster and farther then you can, or your friend takes a swim."

Legolas caught the rail of the ship and leaned over, his stomach refused to keep down even the little food he had left, dehydration taking its toll. He had stopped sweating long ago and knew that if he didn't get water soon he would die. He cringed as the whip tore once again through his back with a snap. This was the second time he had thrown up and two more red stripes had been added to his collection. The men around him laughed heartily, their faces blatebly showing their pleasure at his pain.

For a moment, he caught the eye of one of the sailors. Strangely the man's gaze was neither mocking or angry but almost… frightened? Yes, that was what it was. The man had a starfish clinging to his cheek, and his dark eyes locked for a moment with the bright blue ones of the elf; recognition flashed through their hollow depths. Legolas did not know the man, but it seemed the man knew him.

Breaking eye contact, Legolas went back to what he had been doing all day; he began to run. Around the mast and around again, he ran. The sun beat down from morning till dusk, and still he ran. The ship swayed under him, only adding to the dizzying effects of running in a circle around the main mast. Normally running this fast and far would have been easy for an elf, but here, and now, it seemed like it would never end.

Any plea for the sun to set swiftly was rejected, and any hope that the waves would calm abandoned. He could do this no longer; he fell to his knees, and forced himself to his feet quickly, so the man behind him had no chance to strike; he continued to press on. He fell once again. The whip stung his shoulders, prompting him once again to get up. One step, two, three, four, he was on the floor again. This time even the lash could not force him to his feet.

Aragorn flinched as the whip came down once again upon his friend's shoulders. He knew that even the elves could not stand this kind of extreme all day. His sunburned shoulders tightened at the sight before him.

Legolas stood to his feet once again as one of the men pushed Aragorn closer to the edge. One step. He was down, falling on his hands and knees, he paused for a moment before going on. Not bothering to stand up, he crawled slowly in his well worn path. He heard Davy laugh behind him, but he found nothing funny about it. The whip caught his back once more, knocking him to the floor. He crawled on his stomach, having lost the strength to hoist himself up any longer. He did not know anymore how long this had gone on, hours, days, or forever. But he wished with all of his body's will that it would stop.

Deep in his heart he knew he must press on; he could not let Aragorn down. _For Estel_ he told himself. Inching forward once more, his motion was stopped as a heavy boot landed on his bleeding back. Legolas stifled a moan as he looked up to see Aragorn struggling with the men who were trying to force him closer to the water. "--op." Legolas mumbled; they had to stop.

Davy laughed above him, his foot still weighing heavily on the prince's welted back. "You loose."

"No!" Legolas called weakly as his friend was finally tossed overboard. The man's panicked cries were abruptly cut short.

Aragorn hit the water hard on his back, struggling with his bound hands to get to the surface. He could not, the rope around his wrists tightened and pulled him deeper, scrapping him against the rough side of the ship. The waves crested and he was slammed against the hard wood, forcing the air out of his lungs. The rope kept on pulling. He struggled not to scream as his back was ripped open by the thousands of razor sharp barnacles that covered the bottom of the ship. Another wave crested, slamming him once again into the bottom of the ship, this time he could hold it in no longer. He screamed, but no sound escaped his lips. His head bashed against the ship above him and he lost all the air he had left. The rope pulled swifter now; salt water stung his bleeding back, doubling the pain and panic. He had to breath.

_Slam_

A third wave crested, and his body instinctively tried to pull in air, but there was none to be had; coughing as he sucked in the sea water did him no good under here, and only made his lungs worse. After what felt like an eternity for his burning lungs, he broke the surface, and, scraping against the side of the ship, his strength failed him.

Aragorn slammed hard against the deck on his side, his entire back was red with blood; it seemed there was no skin left, and his muscles had large tears running from shoulder to waist. The top sides of his arms were covered with tiny cuts and abrasions, and his bound wrists rubbed red as well. The ranger was not breathing; one of the men rolled him on his lacerated back and none too gently began to force the water out of his lungs. Aragorn woke slightly as his injured back was forced against the rough wood, he rolled onto his side and coughed up water; the pain continued to throw him into a long coughing fit.

Legolas struggled under Davy's foot, wriggling out from under him the concern for his friend gave him a burst of speed as he got up and crawled to Aragorn's side. Aragorn rested his head on the deck, wrapping his arms around his ribs to better lesson the pain his coughing had caused. Legolas slowly moved the hair out of his friend's face; the man sported a large bruise on the side of his face and he shivered slightly, dripping wet with sea water and blood.

"Get those two scum back to their rooms." Davy ordered. "I said they would have a few nights there and I meant it."

The men quickly pulled Aragorn to his feet by the rope still tied to his wrists; Legolas followed him up, the actions hitting him like a punch in the face, his head still spun from dehydration and he almost found himself once again on the deck. Aragorn's own head swam from pain and blood loss, but he caught the elf sufficiently even with bound hands.

The two were shoved down the stairwell, then back into the same cells they had the night before. Aragorn cried out as he tripped and splashed into the dirty, salty bilge water that covered the ground; it stung his injured back like nothing else and he quickly hoisted himself up on the seat he had slept on the night before, hugging his legs as if the water would come after him; his back still stung as if he were in the salt water, but it was only because the salt had entered his raw back and was now making it burn as if on fire.

"Please! I need to see to him!" Legolas asked the guards in anger, if only he could tend to his friend. The ship swayed and Legolas was knocked to the back wall, his weakened legs letting him fall into the seat there, next to Aragorn if not for the bars. So close, but so far away. Legolas held his head in his hands, trying to smother the headache caused by his lack of water.

"Please," Aragorn said weakly. "My friend needs something to drink." The guards once again ignored the request. "Will!" Aragorn called to the man as he made his way quickly down the stairs. "Please, Legolas needs water." Aragorn weakly stood and stumbled over to talk to Will through the bars, he clung to them desperately as he tried to keep his feet.

"No, I do not! I will be fine, but Strider is the one in need of tending to."

Will looked down Aragorn's arms as he held the bars, they were covered in red cuts. He had not been able to see what condition the ranger was in after what had happened, but he did not imagine it being good. "Strider, water doesn't carry well on ships, it…"

"Find something then! Please. There has got to be some drink on this ship, it is a necessity of life!" Aragorn turned and tried to return to his seat, but due to his weakness which was causing him to go sit back down again anyway, he stumbled over instead of walked back to the bench. In doing so, Will saw for the first time Aragorn's back. The man let out a small gasp at the sight, Aragorn's bare shoulders were covered entirely with dark crimson stains.

"Strider you do not look too good yourself." Will began, unsure of what to say.

"We will talk about that later, but Legolas is about to faint!" Aragorn was getting worried for his friend and trying desperately to hide the pain in his own body. If anyone was going to faint it would be him.

"I'll see what I can do…" Will took the stairs two at a time as the ranger thanked him.

"Aragorn? I am not in that bad of shape, now you on the other hand…" Legolas looked up but did not rise.

Aragorn sighed as he shifted his position till he was lying on his stomach, his head spun and his back was still bleeding, and burning from so much aggravation from the sea water. He looked up through his eyebrows to Legolas, who still sat rubbing his head and trying to take in the rocking of the ship. The ranger slowly fell into sleep.

"This is all they have." Will came back down the stairs quickly; Legolas looked up and motioned for the man to be quiet, then stood unsteadily to his feet. He grasped the full bottle the man had come to give him; rum. Legolas thanked Will weakly and slipped the bottle through the bars, uncorking and sniffing the odd drink.

Will sat back down on the barrel that had served as his bed the night before; looking to the ranger that slept in the cell before him, he made a decision. The wounds on Aragorn's back needed cleaning, he and Legolas both knew that. "I'll go find something for his back." He said, once again running up the stairs.

Legolas silently thanked the departing man and sniffed the drink in his hand once more; he slowly put the bottle to his lips and drank, the warm liquid felt good running down his parched throat and finally quenching his thirst. He smiled, he remembered this stuff, rum; last time he had maybe had a bit too much, but it was a mistake he would not repeat. He sat down next to the ranger sleeping on the bench, he put his hand through the bars and rested it on the side of the man's head.

"It is going to be alright, Estel, just hang on." Legolas looked down at the ranger, and was glad the man was asleep; he was sorry to know that he would have to wake the man when Will got back. The elf's brows knotted, his stomach did not like whatever he had done. He took one more sniff of his drink. _Oh._ He thought with sudden regret._ That is why_.

He placed the bottle on the bench and turned away, leaning heavily on the wall for support he tried to deal with his revolting insides; it seemed that rum was not the best choice of drink. He lowered himself slowly to the ground on his knees before his body rejected the drink altogether.

"Legolas?" Aragorn woke quietly at the miserable sounds of his friend; the ranger did not think the elf had anymore water left in him to reject, then he spotted the bottle sitting not too far away from him on the other side of the bars. "Were you drinking rum?" He asked sleepily.

Legolas sat back on his heels and nodded his head before slowly sliding himself back onto the bench. He held his stomach protectively and rested his head on the wall behind him. "Maybe it was a mistake…"

"Legolas, rum is alcohol. You are dehydrated; that is one of the _worst_ things you can drink, you know." Aragorn was a healer and now Legolas only wished he had asked sooner. His head still spun and he tried to hide the pain that leaning fully on the wall causes his striped back, only finding success in the fact that his friend was barely awake.

Legolas kept his eyes closed tightly and held his stomach. How could anyone ever drink that stuff? He thought back to how much he had drunk on their last trip to the Caribbean and almost threw up again at the thought.

Aragorn sat up and slipped his hand through into Legolas' cell, playing a comforting touch to the elf's shoulder. The elf leaned forward, applying pressure to his hurting stomach, and rocked slowly back and forth. The ship was swaying more and more now; a storm was coming. Aragorn looked at his friend's bent shape; he remembered for the first time that the whip had struck Legolas at least six times, if not more.

"Legolas, your back." Aragorn was concerned for the elf, he did _not_ need to loose any more fluid, he could not afford that. The elf shot him a slightly confused glance.

"You are in no place to be talking." He said with a humorless laugh. A fine sight they made, both beaten, bloody, and about to faint. Not to mention being in the brig of a cursed ship crewed by fish-people.

Will came running down the stairs, observing the scene before him. "Here, I couldn't find any bandages, but you can have your shirt back. No one will tell me anything."

Legolas looked up and gave the man a grateful but pained look as Aragorn took the shirt from Will.

"Is... is everything alright?"

"Legolas is dehydrated, and rum is not the best thing to fix that. I will just put it at that." The ranger sat back down, having stood to retreive the shirt from his new friend, and tried to ignore his throbbing back; he dared not place on the light garment for simple fear of contact. He reached over and rubbed the prince's shoulder lightly, being careful not to touch anything that would cause his long-time friend pain.

Will sighed, this was all his fault, just as everything else was, it seemed. "I'm so sorry..." he trailed off.

"No, it was my fault I drank the stuff; do not blame yourself, Will." The elf said, taking a deep breath and sitting up once more, he brought his feet out of the dirty water that was wetting his toes and sat crossed-legged in the corner.

"There has got to be something on this ship that can't make a man drunk." Will mused aloud, frustrated at the trio's helplessness. He went once more up the stairs to look around for something to help Legolas.

Aragorn watched Will go and for the first time realized that it had begun to rain. Great. Just what they needed. He rolled his eyes.

Will soon returned, a small bottle in his hand. "Try this. It still contains rum, but it's got so much water in it I don't think it will do you much harm; they call it 'grog'." Will once again slipped the bottle through the bars. Aragorn rose and took it from him, then turned and stumbled back to the far wall to pass it to his friend; the elf opened it quickly and took a sip without smelling or testing it. It didn't taste too strong, he hoped his body would not reject it.

His body seemed to agree with the drink, and he drank more. Providing his body with more fluids, he tipped the bottle back and took a larger drink. Waiting for a moment to search for his body's reactions. All was well.

Legolas thanked Will for bringing him the grog and continued to drink until he had consumed half the bottle. He sat still for a moment, allowing time for his body to recover from its lack of water, as lightning split the unseen sky.

"Now, let us see to that back of yours." Legolas looked down to the ranger at his left; the man had returned to laying on his stomach, but was not asleep yet. He held up the folded pile of clothes he had been using as a pillow and laid his head on his arms for a moment before sitting up. He turned around and hunched over his knees, allowing the elf behind him full access to his torn back; it had stopped bleeding, but that did not lessen the pain.

"Aragorn, that needs cleaning, you do know that." Legolas looked over the dry blood that covered the ranger's back.

"Aragorn?" Will's head shot up.

"Hmmm?"

"You called him 'Aragorn'... his name's Strider."

"Will..." Aragorn felt a little guilty for not telling his friend his real name. "My name _is_ Strider, but it is also Aragorn. So my name is Aragorn, but many people know me as Strider... like your name is William, but I call you Will." he paused for a moment, realizing his mistake in comparison. "Save for the fact that Strider and Aragorn sound nothing alike..." He mumbled. Will did not seem totally content with the example, but he kept his peace.

"Aragorn, I am going to have to wash it... it is going to hurt, though. As you said, rum is alcohol." Legolas picked up the half full bottle and ripped a small peice off the sleeve of Aragorn's shirt, wetting it with rum he prepared to cleanse the gaping wounds on Aragorn's back.

Aragorn took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying not to get too tense. Legolas slowly touched his back with the alcoholic cloth, rubbing off the dried blood and dirt. Aragorn tensed under the painful contact, barely stiffling a pained moan. Legolas pulled back for a moment, biting his lip, then began again. He hated having to do this, but it if he did not the prince was sure that his friend would get a severe infection, and could die. His heart tensed with his friend, trying to pull away from the pain, as he carefully and gently cleaned off Aragorn's back, cleansing each of the many cuts that lacerated it, some only small scrapes, others frighteningly deep.

Legolas tore more strips of fabric from the shirt sacrificed for bandaging and tried his best to help Aragorn tie them on through the bars that regretfully seperated them. The moment he was done covering the few largest ones, Aragorn turned around, insisting that the elf's own back was to be cared for next. At last Legolas gave in, it was no use arguing about it. Aragorn tore one more part of his shirt off, carefully wetting it in the ever decreasing supply of rum, and began to gently run it over the cuts that decorated Legolas' back, grimacing as the elf tensed. After bandaging those he then insisted that he see to Legolas' arm before allowing the elf to further bandage his own back.

Will watched the two from his spot on the barrel; their friendship was a strong one. Will wished now that he had a friend like that, one that would do anything for him, and was always there for him. He sighed contentedly as he pondered what other surprises the two friends would have in store: new names, new bonds, and what he really wanted: more information about God.

Three heads snapped upward together as one of the most unexpected sounds they could imagine reached their ears: music. Organ music, to be precise.

A large seaweed covered man strode down the stairs. "You four!" He indicated the two prisoners, Will, and the guard. "All hands on deck! Unlock them and get 'em up there! A storm's abrewin'."


	6. Chapter 6

Legolas wrapped the wet rope tightly around his arm, painfully disturbing the bandage and cut there, "Heave!" the crew yelled together, he pulled down with all his might, as did the two mutant men pulling on the rope behind him. The rain water splashed about him, further cleaning the welts on his back and soaking the bandages. The organ music still played, louder even than the rain and shouts of the crew. The tune rose and fell, a swirling sea of disying waves, a constant beating in the background, the throbbing heartbeat of the song. Rising into a climax the song grew louder, then went silent, only the beating pulse remaining. Starting the dramatic fall back down once again the music wound on, crashing and building like waves on the shore, the base like thunder and the melody roaring winds, it seamed to fit perfectly with the world outside.

Lightning flashed over head as everyone onboard the cursed ship struggled with the lines. Keeping the sails in one piece and also hoisting one of the cannons into a better position. The reason they hauled the gun Legolas could not guess, but he did not wish anymore stripes on his back, so he did as he was told. "Heave!" they shouted together agian. He risked a look through the rain to Aragorn. The man's bare arms tightened as he pulled down on the rope he was charged with, the leather vest he wore protected his back from most contact, but not from the rain. "Heave!" the shout came again. Aragorn ground his barred teeth and shook the water out of his eyes. Further away William also pulled, his long wet sleaves clung to his arms and his hair to his face.

"Secure the mast takle Mr. Turner!" One of the men barked orders from the top deck. "Step to it!"

Will looked up to see the stray rope hanging loosened above his head. He turned to the stairs to his right, taking them quickly and grabbing the swiftly fleeing rope. Another man came up from the other side, grasping the rope further down past the pully on whitch it was secured.

"Step aside!" Will yelled over the torental rain, he had been given this task and did not want anyone messing it up.

"Let go, boy!" The man called, looking up to meet Will's eyes. He froze. Staring in shock into the young man's eyes. _No._ His hands went limp and the rope slipped from them, leaving the whole load to Will. The boy did not have enough leverage to sustain it and the rope was to much. It drug him along, slamming him into the rail of the upper deck befor finally slipping from his grasp.

Down below Aragorn looked up to see the cannon they were hoisting slip and begin a quick descent to the floor. The crew men pulling behind him ran quickly for cover, leaving him alone to steady the rope. The cable quickly slipped through his hands. He quickly caught it, but soon realized it was a mistake. The ranger was swiftly pulled to the left where he slammed int o the wall, falling to the ground just after the cannon hit the deck hard, breaking several boards on the way dow. The floor beneathe him held, he was thankful for that. Legolas quickly ran to his side, helping the man back to his feet. The music stopped.

"Haul that weevil to his feet!" They heard shouts from the deck above. Following the crewmen to the top deck they saw the comotion. Will. The men grabbed him by the arms and held him fast against the riggings on the stern railing.

"Five lashes will remind you to stay on 'em!" The head crewmember said, shaking out his whip. He raised it above his head to strike.

"No!" The man Legolas had seen before spoke up, the one with the starfish on his face. He blocked the other man from his blow, catching the handle of the whip before it could come down.

"Impeading me in my duties? You'll share the punishment." The fist man said with a cruel smile. No one liked Bootstrap much, and it would be a pleasure to see the man suffer.

"I'll take it all!" The man retorted boldly, squaring his shoulders and readying himself.

"Will you, now?" An immeadiatly recognizeable voice came from behind the group. "And what would prompt such an act of charity?" Davy Jones appeard, pushing through the crowd of his crew as he approached the rebelious man. He had no answer for a moment he stood still, thinking over it all.

"My son." He muttered.

Davy cocked his head, _You're what?_

"He's my son!" The man repeaded, turning to look at the boy charged for a lashing.

Will stuggled with the men holding his arms, attempting to turn around and face the man who claimed to be his father. _Bootstrap._ his mind screamed. Had he really found him?

Sudden Realization doned on the two onlookers, they had heard the story of Bootstrap Bill Turner. Was it true? Niether Aragorn or Legolas had ever dreamed of meeting this man. Now the would learn his true story.

Davy walked around Bootstrap, looking from the man to the boy, and doing a double take, he laughed. "What fortuitous circumstance be this?" He asked himself outloud, finding the situation rather amusing. "Five lashes be owed I believe it is." Davy recieved the whip from his lutinet. He presented it to the father.

Aragorn's jaw tightened, and he shot a worried glance at the elf beside him, who reflected the same look perfectly. This would not be good.

"No." Bootstarp looked in horror to the lash before him. "No I won't!"

"The cat's out of the bag, Mr. Turner! Your issue will feel it's sting via the Bo-Sun's hand... or your own."

"No." He said once again. The two gaurds holding Will pulled his vest from him , leaving only the thin white shirt to cover his shoulders.

"Bo-Sun!" Davy called for his lutinet to deliver the whipping.

"NO!" Bootstrap yelled, he could not beat his new found son, but he could _not_ stand by while bo-sun tore the boy apart. He took hold of the whip presented to him. Davy stepped aside as the two men ripped Will's shirt down the back, leaving the limp fabric hanging off his arms and exposing fully the unscared flesh of his bare shoulders.

Aragorn's stumach twisted inside him "What kind of man makes a father flog his son when the boy did nothing wrong?" He muttered in mental agony, thinking of what would happen if it were Elrond and he. The elf would probably kill himself before laying a harmful hand on his son. He looked to his left, at Legolas who was still standing at his side. The elf seemed frozen in place, staring wide eyed in horror at the scene before them, he knew Thranduil would do the same for his own son.

Bootstrap slowly pulled back to swing. He hated this. With all his heart. He let out a yell of frustration and helplessness as he brought the whip down on his son's shoulders. Will tensed and jerked, sucking in breath sharply, but did not cry out. He had to be strong. A tear rolled down Bootstraps cheek as he was forced to swing agian; No. He could not be doing this. This could not be real. Will could not help but let an ungaurded moan escape his lips sharply, the force of the blow knocking him forward; behind him, his farth grmiced at the agonizing noise. It was real. The tears were flowing swiftly now, as Bootstrap raised his hand a third time. Making sure not to come down in the same spot twice he landed a blow from the other direction. Will jerked and cried out quietly, a pained tear of his own mixing with the rain, th sight brought more agony then Bootstrap thought he could bear. He grunted, in pain and frustration, as he let one more swing fall, being as gentle as was possible with a bullwhip. Will's world still flashed as pain laced through him body and his heart. One more. Bootstrap raised his shaking hands wearily one last time and let them come down on his boy's shoulders. Will stifled a moan, fighting back tears as the two men released him, shoving him down the stairs.

The whole while Aragorn's stumache was turning. He had watched much more brutal whippings before, _but this?_ He could barely watch and think about how hard it must be for Bootstrap.

"You had it easy boy!" Will's captors shouted as he fell down the ladderlike stairs and landed in the salty brine on the second deck below. He held back a shout as the water stung his wounds and pulled himself up using the ladder as support.

"William!" Bootstrap called, decending the ladder and attempting to help his son up.

"I don't need your help!" Will batted him away, catching a different beam for support, still trying to take in the pain, he rocked back and forth slowly.

"The Bo-sun prides himself on cleaving flesh from bone, with every swing." The older man walked up behind his son, tossing the man the vest they had taken from him, he looked down at the stripes he had made on the boy's back. They were bad, simply for the knowledge that he had made them, but not as bad as he had seen the Bo-Sun make.

"So am I understand that what you did was an act of compassion?!" Will's pain made him frustrated and the question was even sharper then he meant it to be.

"...Yes." Bootstrap paused for a moment before answering dejectedly. Realization dawned on Will. This place was even nastier then he had already been shown.

"Will!" Aragorn and Legolas called at once, decending the steps quickly, both men's heads shot up at the name and Aragorn remembered that both of thier names were William Turner. The ranger looked at Bootstrap for a moment before looking to his son. He could see the five bright stripes, and wanted them bandaged as fast as possible so he didn't have to much trouble cleaning them, the rain could do that. Legolas came up behind him, looking over the pair of Turners. Bootstrap caught his eye. He was the same frightened pirate Legolas remembered from the day before, with the starfish on the side of his face. The man stared at Legolas intently, and Legolas at last remembered that he looked just like the man's son, save for his blonde hair, pointed ers, and lack of beard. He quickly looked away, busying himself with concern for Will.

"Come," Bootstrap bid them, leading the way into the main guns deck. The three followed him in, and quickly picked a secluded spot to sit down so Aragorn could see Will's back.

"Who are you?" Bootstrap had to ask of the two men tending to his son.

"They are my friends, Legolas and... Aragorn." Will remembered Strider's real name.

Bootstrap was watching him, he could feel it. Legolas looked up to the man, who quickly diverted his gaze. "What?" He questioned the man at last.

"It's just.. you look just like him." Bootstrap was uncertain of the type of responce he would recieve. The elf seemed to shrug it off.

"Bootstrap?" Will asked quietly, with no reply as the man studdied Legolas. "Father?" the boy added uncertaintly.

Bootstrap paid him attention immediately, glad to finally talk to his beloved son once again, but grieved about his presence on the Dutchman.

"What kind of curse is this ship under? What holds you here?"

"One hundred years before the mast. That is the curse. Loosing who you were, bit by bit." The man walked down the isle between the two rows of cannons, his son stood quickly and caught up to him, carefully sliding his wet vest over his shoulders and onto his hurting back.

"Until you end up.. end up like poor Wyvern here." Legolas and Aragorn caught up to the two as Bootstrap pointed towards a shape on the wall. Will did a double take as he looked up the the figure. Engraved or incased in the wall itself there was the shape of a man. Forever holding out his lantern.

"Once you've sworn an oath to The Dutchman there's no leaving it..." Bootstrap continued without an explanation for the man in the wall. "Never 'til your debt is paid."

"We've sworn no othes." Aragorn pointed out, he would never do such a thing.

Bootstrap turned to him sudently "Then you must get away." It was a statment, not a request, not a question.

Will worked the soaked parchment out of his water-logged poket, "Not until I find this." he held it out so his father could see. Legolas leaned over the man's shoulder to glimpse the drawing as well. "The key."

Legolas turned on his heels swiftly as he heard a gasp from behind him. He looked up to see the man in the wall, Wyvern, waking up. He blinked and looked around, before pulling himself, a being made of coral, partialy out of the wall.

"The Dead Man's Chest." He wispered in an eery voice.

Will leaned in. "What do you know of this?" he asked the man, hoping it was real.

"Open the chest with they key and stab the heart... No! don't stab the heart. The Dutchman _needs_ a living heart, or there'll be no captain, and if there's no captain, there's no one ot have they key!"

"So the Captain has the key?" Aragorn asked, the man seemed ashamed to tell him, pulling himself back into the wall.

"Where is the key!?" Will repeated the question.

"Hidden."

"Where is the chest?"

"Hidden!" The man pulled back into the wall and his eyes shut once again, he was completely still.

"Wyvern!" Bootstrap called to the man, but he was already gone. Once more locked into himself, not moving, not breathing, not dieing.

"Well that was no help at all." Will said, frustrated with the riddlesome words.He begain to walk on down the hall.

The dice fell.

"Four fours."

"Five fours!"

"LIAR!"

The crewmen laughed as the cups were raised and the man was proven inoccent. One die was removed from his accusor's cup and the game continued with only fourteen dice.

"You wondering how it's played?" Bootstrap walked up behind his son, who sat watching the three crewmen play the game before him. Next to him sat Aragorn and Legolas, the two had been spared from the brig that night and they watched intently trying to capture the rules of this new gambling game. Aragorn looked up and nodded silently, he was lost in what all the numbers called ment.

"It's a deceptive game where your bet includes all the dice, not just your own." WIll spoke up, he had seen this game played many a time and seen many a man loose all he had to these matches. "What do they wager?"

"Well, the only thing we have: years of service. Now, when the dice are first cast, each man has five. From those he tries to make an assumption of what in total is on the table. How many of each number are shown. He makes a bid, then next man can raise it, but never lower, or he can call the first man's bluff and see who's the liar. If he raises the bid the third man goes, with the same choices about the second man's bid. The bidding goes around for however many times it takes for someone to call a liar. If you're found to be lying you loose a die, and play again with only four, or three, untill someone goes out of dice. Or for a shorter game you play sudden death, where if your bluff is called once you loose it all. But if you accuse someone of bing a liar, and you're wrong; then you're the liar, and you loose a die." Bootstrap informed them, Legolas nodded slowly but never removed his gaze from the game before him.

"So any crew member may be challenged?" Will asked quietly.

"Aye, anyone."

"I challenge Davy Jones!" Will said loudly. His father looked up at him in half shock half worry and the rest of the crew looked up with a mocking laughter.

_Boom_

They all went silent.

_Boom_

"Accepted!"

The men grabbed Will shoulders, forcing him into the captian's cabin to start the game. A table was prepared and stools set out for the two. Five dice and a cup were placed infront of Will as he was sat down at one end of the table. He rose to his feet at the Captian's approch.

"The stakes?" Thw squid faced man asked.

"My soul. An eternaty of servitude." WIll said, emotionlessly blunt.

"No!" He barly heard his father's hushed voice from his left.

Aragorn and Legolas pushed through the large group of men surrounding the table. They had heard what was at stake and they didn't like the sound of it. Davy could not have Will forever, but if Will swore an othe, he might be on this ship untill the world's ending. A fate that did not look good any way you sliced it.

Davy smiled, this would be a good game. "You're a desperate man, Turner. Only one cause for that." He said, coming almost to laughter. Will kept his face serious, cocking his head slightly. "A woman!" Davy sobered quickly.

"A woman need not cause you to be desperate, if you choose the right woman." Will stated firmly, playing with the captian's emotions and taughnting his dark memories. He tried to deny the fact that this had all started for Elizabeth, and he unknowingly using the fact that it was an unfaithful woman's fault that Davy was still cursed.

"Against?" Davy snarled, quickly changing the subject, there wasn't much he could think of of equal value to this daring man's soul.

"My Father." Will sat down slowly. Once again he heard a soft cry from the man to his left. Will knew his father would never aprove of such a wager, but his father was not in control anymore.

Davy nodded as he took his seat. If he would have both of the Turners, so be it. He picked up his dice and cup and slammed them into the table, as Will did the same.

Aragorn leaned in as Will looked at his dice, the ranger couldn't see them for the shadow, and niether could he read the emotionless exression on the man's face.

In his mind Will was happy. Three twos, a four and a five. But he would never reveal it in such a game.

Davy looked down at his own dice. They were good. Four sixes to start, and a two as well. He gave Will the first bid.

"Two fives." WIll played off that wich he had less of first.

"Three sixes." Davy laughed, underbidding his own hand.

Will was not at all comfortable with sixes, he changed the bid again "Four twos!" he now used his abundance for the better.

Davy laughed at the man's lack of confidence and his rookie-like guesses. "Four sixes!" He raised his original bid.

"Five sixes!" Will said, confidently. He had no sixes, but Davy could never know that. His seemingly random guesses might throw the Captain off.

The bid caught Davy off gaurd. He had predicted that the boy had no sixes, but he could have been wrong. It would only take one six from Will's hand to complete his bid "Six sixes!" He raised once again.

"Liar." Will answered firmly, but calmly. He slowly took the cover off of his dice. He held no sixes at all. The captian had out bid himself and taken Will's bluff.

Davy stared blankly at the dice before him. Bewildered that he could ever have lost to this first-time imp. His tenticles betrayed his attempts to hide his inner anger as the curled and squirmed violently. He lashed out and struck Will's dice off the table, sending the little white squares to the ground. Will slowly stood to gather them.

"Bootstrap!" Davy called in anger. "Feel free to go with your son. Straight to the brig!" Davy instructed his men to seise them and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Will called after him calmly, even as the men grabbed his arms. "We never finished. How about another round?" Davy turned to greet his challenge.

"I'll expect the same payment. No less."

"Agreed." Will told him as the men released him. "I want this." he dropped the small parchment withe the drawing of the key on it to the table. Davy reached and picked it up with his crabclaw of a hand. Opening it's folds and spreading it over his left hand. Shock, fear, and rage displayed through his eyes as he looked the the man who dare chalenge him twice.

"How do you know of the key?" He studdered, slamming the drawing down and barly containing his anger.

"That's not part of the game, is it?" Will sat down calmly. Taking the dice in his hands and putting them back in his cup. "You can still walk away." He taunted, knowing the captian could do no such thing, not with the entire crew watching.

Davy looked the boy over, unbelief still lingered in his mind and actions. He sat down slowly. Using his tenticles to remove the key from it's hiding place, he proved that he did indeed have it. He waved it infront of Will's longing face, then placed it back in it's safe hold under his massive beard of tenticles. Taking his own dice cup in hand, they slammed them down once more.

A third cup came down.

"What's this?" Davy asked loudly, loking up to see who had dare interupt the game. Bootstrap.

"I'm in, matching his wager." Now that the man had everything to bet, he could match his son's wager for everything to loose.

Aragorn and Legolas sat in the corner still, they had actually offered to do the same, but Bootstrap would not allow it. The two sat, tence and watching, wonering who would win.

"No. Don't do this." Will implored his father. He had now risked more then his life for a distroyed cause.

"The die are cast." Bootstrap said, stating the obvious. " I bid three twos. It's your bid, Captian."

Davy laughed at the distrought look on Will's face. His revenge was now sweet, and he had yet to lift a finger. "Four fours." using Will's own trick, he possesed no fours.

"Four fives." WIll took his turn, not taking the bate of Davy's bid.

"Six threes" Bootstrap raised his previous bid. He had to force the bidding higher.

Davy glanced at the black cubes under his hand. Four fives and a three. "Seven fives!!" he raised it to the only barely possable. The crew surrounding them laughed at the decision he forced Will into. Aragorn and Legolas were not laughing. They looked worridly at the two Turners. Thoughts filled Aragorn's head, What if it were he and Elrond? or Legolas and Thranduil? he once again tried to imagine what Will was going through.

Bootstrap glanced at his own red dice. He had no fives. Only three twos, and two threes.

Will glaced at the white dice in his hand. Three fives, a one and a two. Davy's bid was still possable, between the fifteen dice on the table. He looked around nervously. "Eight fives." He said at last, swallowing the giant lump in his throat.

Davy laughed smugly. It was near impossable now. Anyone more then a fool would call him for such a bid. "Welcom to the crew, lad."

"Twelve fives!" Bootstrap interupted the Captian's laughter. Davy turned to him in disbelief. "Twelve fives." the man repeated. Davy had once again underestimated the bond of father and son. "Call me a lair, or up the bid."

"And be called a lair myself, for my truble?!" Davy lifted the cover off of the man's dice. He would need many a five to see the bid true, but he had none. "Bootstrap Bill, you're a liar, and you will spend and eternaty on this ship!" Davy stood up. "Master Turner. Feel free to go ashore! Leave the boat next time we make port!!" he sneered at the young man. The Dutchman never made port anymore. The captian lead his men off with a mocking laugh, but Will and his father ramained where they sat. Legolas and Aragorn pushed through the crowd to the table.

"Fool! Why did you do that?" Will paid them no heed, his tone hard and his question needing an answer.

"I couldn't let you loose!" Bootstrap meekly offered his only defence.

"It was never about winning or loosing." Will hinted to his true gains from the game, his tone softened and he shook his head slightly.

"The key!" understanding dawned on Bootstrap. His mistake now made clear to him. "You just wanted to know where it was..." He looked to his son.

Will nodded, resting his head in his hands and his elbow's on the table, he sighed. "But I do still need it."

"For what?" his father didn't understand this sudden need.

Aragorn and Legolas sat quietly by the table, Will looked up and noticed them for the first time. He hadn't told them yet, but he was sure they knew. "To... Trade for something, to tade for something else... For..."

"For Elizabeth." Aragorn spoke up, releving the man of the task of telling his father this was all for a girl.

Will turned to the ranger swiftly. He hadn't wanted to say that, but it was probably for the best.

Bootstrap furrowed his brow. "Elizabeth?"

Will closed his eyes and took a deep breath, turning back to his father. "Yes."

"Davy was right, it is for a woman, isn't it?" Bootstrap inquired, like a child asking questions.

"Yes, yes it is. When I crossed from england we met as children. We grew up in the same town but saw little of each other, she's the governer's daughter, after all. I grew more fond of her, but she barely knew my name. Untill all these pirates came. Our lives were thrust together, even though she was engaged to another man. I don't think she loved him, because when I finnaly got the curage to tell her how I felt, she left him immediatly to take my side. We were to be married unitll... untill Beckett arrived. He has her locked in jail, for helping Jack Sparrow. And if I don't get that key she will hang. And if they ever catch me agian so will I." Will told the entire story in a nutshell. "There, you have it. My reason for being to sea after all."

Bootstrap nodded as he took in this new imformation. It was odd to think that his son was somewhat of a wanted man. Simply the tone is Will's voice betrayed that he loved thi Elizabeth very much. Bootstrap now had a new reason to get Will off this boat, and he would see it happen. He would give his son the last remnient of joy that he could suppy, the last thing he could give him after all these years of being gone, he would help anyway he could to give his son a family again.


	7. Chapter 7

The night was quiet. The crew had gone either to bed or to their posts, and Jones had long ago stopped his nightly practice and performance on his giant organ. The boat creaked in the gentle breeze that ushered her, but all else was silent other than the dull snoring of the sleeping crew.

"Captain says I'm to relieve you." Bootstrap walked up to the lone man keeping watch over the wheel, keeping on course and looking for distant ships. The man turned to him, not sure if he should believe the man or not. "Captain's orders."

The man seemed content and he stalked off and headed below deck. Will, Legolas, and Aragorn carefully went up the stairs. That was the second guard Bootstrap had tricked tonight, the first was the brig guard, and Will had used his 'leverage trick' to get them all out. They made their way up to set their plan in motion. Aragorn stopped by a complex mass of rope, supporting a small lifeboat, not used in many ages. Will and Legolas continued down the ship. Will slowly opened the creaky door leading to the Captain's quarters. He and Legolas ducked in, watching the still form on the organ seat breathe in slow rhythm, making sure he was asleep.

They silently approached him, one from each side. The snoring man's tentacles moved and twitched slowly in his sleep, proving further that he was asleep, as Will looked at his tentacled beard in disgust. He looked for a tool, quickly finding two writing quills and a stick laying on the piano. He handed one of the quills to Legolas, who pulled out a small shaft he had been carving into an arrow with his spare time, but now he used it for a greater need. With careful timing, he and Will worked together, using the sticks to raise the larger tentacles of Davy's beard out of the way.

Davy woke slightly, turning his sleeping head slightly, but he settled back to sleep without opening his eyes or regaining full consciousness. Will took a deep breath to calm his screaming nerves; he could see the key, hanging limply now from the one tentacle that held it. He moved the stick in his left hand into his mouth, still holding the tentacle on top. Legolas adjusted his hands so Will could see the key more clearly, he wished he could help more, but he also only had two hands, and they had run out of sticks now. Davy's tentacles wound slowly around the sticks Legolas held, absent-mindedly playing with the rough surface. Will shook with nervousness as he reached for the key. The move was disastrous. The tentacle fell off of the quill in his right hand, loudly striking the organ beneath him, a quick, but even so prolonged note echoed through the room, the very walls shaking from the musical sound.

Will flinched as Davy's head jerked to the left, Legolas quickly jumped to his right, hiding behind the man he prayed was not waking up. He could not risk being seen by the man, and he quickly dropped the two tentacles held by his sticks. Davy's breathing hitched as he blinked his eyes open. Will's eyes went wide; he froze in place out of fear, holding the key in his left hand and a stick in his mouth.

All of a sudden, a soft tune danced into the room; like the slowly falling waves on the shore, ready to rock any captive of its charm to a quick sleep, it rose and fell, tugging at the consciousness and eyelids of the captain who sat still on his bench. Just as his organ song, this song had a heartbeat; it kept it steady, kept it strong. The loud waves that Legolas had heard before in the swiftly swirling song Davy played were now reduced to a gentle rocking, like the sea after the storm had passed. A little music box locket sat on the organ, probably for just such an occasion as to ease his mind and put him to sleep. The captain's head fell to his chest, his eyes closing once more. Both Will and Legolas gave a sigh of relief.

Will tugged lightly at the key, testing the resistance as Legolas once again picked up two of Davy's tentacles. Perhaps he needed something to replace it, as not to wake the slumbering man. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the rolled up parchment Jack had given him. Easing it into the tentacle that held the key, Davy released their prize and took hold of the fabric. The music box played on as Will and Legolas both smiled in relief and left the captain to his slumber.

They hurried out of the cabin to find the lifeboat ready. Aragorn and Bootstrap finished lowering it into place and the ranger hopped in. Legolas followed quickly, gratefully taking the parcels that Aragorn had recovered, their packs and weapons. Will put the key onto a small twine necklace he had made and slipped it over his head. He received his sword from Aragorn and turned back to his father, slipping his shoulder belt over his head.

"Here," Bootstrap said quietly "Take this too." He held out the one thing from his former life he still had. A small, smooth knife, in a leather sleeve. "Now get yourself to land and stay there." He told his son.

Will took the knife, looking up to his father, his emotions playing through his eyes; he only wished his father could come.

"It was always in my blood to die at sea." Bootstrap read the question in his son's eyes. "But it was never a fate I ever wanted for you."

Will pulled the small knife out of it's sheathe, turning it in his fingers and looking it over. It was a sharp knife that had only slight damage from its time on the Dutchman, but like everything else on the ship, it had some sea plant or creature growth on it... although if it was a plant or creature Will could not tell. "It's not a fate you had to choose for yourself either." He defended, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Aye," Bootstrap met his son's hurting eyes, his memories searching all the way back to when Will was but a lad in England. He had not seen the boy since he was five years old. He had left him, abandon his family, and he felt horrid for it. If Will hated him for it, so be it. It was no more then he deserved. "I could say I did what I had to when I left to go pirating. But it would taste a lie to say it wasn't what I wanted." He told the simple truth.

Will kept the eye contact for a bit, unsure of what to say.

"You owe me nothing, Will." His father once again gave an answer to his heart's questions. "Now go."

Will looked around, his heart wished him to stay here, with his father at last, but he knew he had to leave. He formulated another excuse, somehow not wanting the moment to end. "They'll know you helped me." He said, buying time. He did not know why he wished to stay, but it just seemed... right.

Bootstrap laughed humorlessly. "What more can they do to me?!" He asked. Leaving Will to his frustration again. The boy blinked and looked around desperately, sighing he accepted the parting at last.

"I take this with a promise." He held up the knife his father had given him, holding it in its sheathe tightly in his fist. "I'll find a way to sever Jones' hold on you, and not rest until this blade pierces his heart." he said, his voice thick with emotion, and his eyes revealing his heart. Bootstrap's brow furrowed. He did not think it was a promise Will could keep, but he trusted the boy, and he knew there was no discouraging him. "I will not abandon you." Will finished. His eyes conveyed more meaning than his words, thinking back to the days in England. His father, William Turner, had told him the same. But Bootstrap had done so, intentional or not, it was hard to deal with. "I promise." Will had been taught to repay wrong with right. He was devoted to his father, the only family he had left, and no matter the hard feelings from before, he needed a family.

Tears threatened to fall down Bootstraps cheeks, over the years he had learned how to deal with tears, but one escaped his heavy guard, sliding down his face. He thought back to the same time in his life that Will had. He had made that promise, and he had failed. Had failed the last person on earth that could still find love in his heart for him. He opened his mouth to say something, but when he finally snapped back to reality, his son was gone.

Will pushed past his father and got into the long boat with the elf and ranger. Not a word was uttered between the three. The two others could not imagine what Will was going through, but they respected him, and decided that it was best he not have to take an oar. Aragorn sat in the middle, taking both oars in his hands, and Legolas manned the rudder, leaving Will time alone on the helm. With his back towards the others, they could not see the silver tears that fell down his cheeks. He kept most of his composure, leveling his shoulders, he did not shake, but the tears were there, and he knew why.

Dawn came soon, and with the sun a new day. They left the Dutchman behind, and thanked God they were already on a common trade route, awaiting a passing vessel. For the first time, Will turned to the others, a quiet conversation hung in the still morning air. A gentle side breeze brought the distant cry of seabirds and the boat rocked slowly in the waves. The sky shone a brilliant orange with the rising of the sun, the few low clouds reflecting the glorious purple and pink lights of dawn.

The conversation died slowly, and silence came upon the tiny boat. Aragorn quietly sifted through his pack, making sure nothing had been taken or left behind. He pulled out a pack containing several different herbs and elixirs and set it down next to him. He and Legolas had switched places during the night, leaving him the now almost unneeded job of manning the rudder. As he pulled out a few more things, he dropped one on the floor. A surprised look crossed his face as he noticed what it was. He bent to pick it up, a small book. Sitting up he silently showed Legolas, with a shocked yet grateful look in his eye. It was Ragetti's Bible.

"He must have slipped it in my pack when he heard we were going aboard the Dutchman." Aragorn suggested quietly. He would have had the man kept the Bible, but he was glad to have it with him as well. He opened it and flipped to the last page he had been reading from. Will turned to him, hearing the sound of pages being flipped surprised him.

"What's that?" He asked, moving so he sat next to Legolas, and they both faced the ranger at the stern.

"This, my friend, is the Bible." Aragorn answered him with a smile.

Memories left a smile on Will's face. He remembered sitting with his mother next to the fire at night. She taught him how to read with that book, taught him right and wrong... he knew she would be very proud of his decision to follow her faith, even though he was not sure what it meant yet. "Aragorn... you said... you said it was a relationship, God and me... you said my part was to serve... what does that mean? I mean... can I repay this love?" Will had so many questions only half answered.

"No... I don't believe you can ever repay it... But you can do what God asks. God wants his children to love him, and to show the world they love Him. God has work for every man, sometimes He asks us to do really big things, sometimes He asks us to settle for small jobs. Here, let me read you something: 'Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.'" Aragorn found a verse that Legolas had marked earlier. "God wants you to live a life as an example to the world. An example of His love."

"Read that other verse, the one about being saved." Legolas instructed the ranger, pointing to one of the many small pieces of paper that served as bookmarks.

"'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.'" Aragorn read aloud the verse; it talked of God's grace and his plan for each of his children.

"So that means... we should live according to the law?" Will questioned, he feared he had already disobeyed that, having a due appointment with the gallows upon his return to Port Royal .

"Well..." Legolas began "Sort of... but that's not always the laws of your country. His law."

Will's face did not light up at all, he knew the commands, 'do not steal', 'honor your father and mother' he feared he has failed on those as well.

"But Will?" Legolas went on, catching the man's eye. "Not even a Christian is perfect. What, do you think I have kept every one of His laws? If so, you are sadly mistaken! But He forgives us, if only we ask. God knows you aren't perfect, and never will be."

This would be hard, but he would try his best. If God loved him and did so much for him, he knew it was the very least he could do. "So... He has a plan for me?"

Legolas nodded "God controls everything, and He will work everything out in the end. He has a plan for you, and for me, and sometimes it's hard to see how the end could possibly be happy, but He promises it will be, and His promises are always kept. And if you cannot find His plan for you, wait a while, pay attention. He will tell you when ever He's ready. A wise man once told me that... not only old wizards... but also God himself is never late, nor is He early, but arrives precisely when He means to. And His timing is always for the best."

Will looked up to the sky. The sun had risen, and somehow it felt like a new dawn in his life, he had more direction than simply his own needs now. But one thing still troubled him. "So... about that promise I made... to my father... Bootstrap... Did God intend for that, as well?"

Aragorn sat back for a minute, it was a strange question and he did not directly have an answer. "Yes... yes I believe He did." Was all he could come up with.

Legolas smiled at his friend, but his gaze was caught elsewhere. He leaned forward... was that? It was! "Look!" he cried, pointing towards the horizon past the ranger's shoulder.

Aragorn turned around, spying the black dot on the sea. He could not make out what it was, but he trusted his friends' Elven eyes.

"A ship! It's... it looks like the trade ship we've been waiting for, because it's certainly not the Dutchman!" Legolas' excitement mounted as it drew nearer, now they could all three make out the lightly colored wood and the clean white sails. They turned their little boat and Legolas and Will began to row towards the ship at full speed.

As they neared the vessel, Will left the rowing to the Elf and took the bow once again "Hey!! Hullo!" he called out as they neared the gigantic looking ship. They had caught the attention of the crew and he could see them gathering ropes to haul them up. One of the men motioned for them to get closer and Aragorn began to steer the boat towards the bow of the approaching ship.

"Strider." Will went back to calling the ranger by his false name, he knew how to keep a secret safe,."Strider, that's enough, don't go too far or we'll be sucked..." Will's sentence was cut off. "Under" he said in a meek voice, quickly jumping out of the boat. Legolas followed quickly, signing for Aragorn to follow. The man cried out as he franticly left the small boat. He swam as fast as he could in the other direction as the little boat was caught under the much larger ship, crushing the wood into unusable scrap. The water was cold, but adrenaline kept that out of his mind and he followed his two friends in grabbing one of the several ropes lowered down for the deck above.

They were quickly hauled aboard, now soaking wet; the men quickly covered them in blankets and helped them into the Captain's cabin. The temperature of the water and the wind set in quickly and both Aragorn and Will shivered slightly as they talked with that Captain.

"Strange thing to come upon a longboat so far out in open waters. What bring you three out here in... Such a condition?" The short Captain said in a heavy accent only Will recognized as Scottish. He had noticed the bright red scars that decorated Aragorn's neck and Legolas' arm, and they were only lucky he had not seen the backs and shoulders of all three.

Two other men stood behind the captain, but did not say a word. Presumably the first and second 'mates' of the captain, one an older frail looking man, the other a very large, fatter man.

"It matters not, just put as many leagues behind us as you can, as fast as you can." William told him; taking a sip of the mug of water he had been given. He sat next to Aragorn and Legolas, who had also received drink, but it seemed he was the only one up for talking. Legolas fiddled with his hair, attempting to hide his ears better. They had gone blessingly unnoticed aboard the Dutchman, but he feared that without hiding them his poor disguise could not last much longer.

"And what are we running from?" The skeptical captain asked, amused by the men's seemingly needless fear and still inquiring to their battered condition.

Will looked to his right; Aragorn caught his eye, sending a silent message that he was lost for words. But something else caught William's eyes. He stood quickly, keeping his dark blanket tightly wrapped about his shoulders; a dress lay there, sprawled onto a chair that sat in the corner of the cabin. To Legolas and Aragorn this meant nothing, but to William it meant everything.

"That dress." He asked, "Where did you get it?" He knew the dress, for the beautiful golden fabric belonged to his wife-to-be. Elizabeth's wedding dress, before they were abruptly interrupted. Last time he had seen that dress he was saying a goodbye to his love.

"It was found aboard the ship. The crew thought it was a spirit, bringing some omen of ill-fate." The captain said in a tone that revealed even to those that could not see his face that he was rolling his eyes.

"That is foolish..." Will said, dropping his blanket to pick the dress up. He closed his eyes as he took in what its presence here meant. Sweet memories of his love came back to him as he inhaled deeply the smell of the dress; it did not smell like much, but the simple knowledge that it was Elizabeth's brought joy to his heart.

"Oh yes, proceedingly foolish." the larger mate said, but the second mate insisted otherwise.

"It brought good fortune! The spirit told us... 'Pull in at Tortuga.' and we made a nice bit of profit there."

"Kept off the books, of course." The captain added, they could get into a lot of trouble for dealing with the Pirate's port now-a-days.

Will realized that Elizabeth must have somehow come looking for him, he had told her he would start in Tortuga, after all. "I'd imagine..." Will turned back to the captain. "Some of your crew may have jumped ship there." He guessed at Elizabeth's plan.

"Why do you ask?" The captain's brow furrowed, this man knew a bit too much about there illegal side trip to the pirate port than he would like.

"Captain!" A sailor rushed in. "A ships been spotted!"

The Captain abandoned Will's questions. "Colors?" He inquired to the ship's origins.

"She isn't flyin' any." the sailor said in mild fear.

"Pirates!" The captain guessed in distress.

"Or worse." Aragorn added, speaking for the first time as all seven of them rushed to the top deck.

Will raced up the steps and onto the deck, he quickly adjusted his course to climb the rigging and gain a better view of their probable pursuers. He motioned for the others to follow him. Legolas came quickly, hopping up into the rigging right behind the man. Aragorn however was less sure. He was not a sailor by any means, and did not have the elf's great balance. He opted to instead go with the Captain to the stern and see the ship that way.

Will and Legolas quickly made it to the topmost beam of the main mast, climbing on the large support of the sail; they both grabbed the ropes and hoisted themselves up, looking over the ship to see the one beyond.

"It's her." Legolas said, swallowing the large lump in his throat.

Will sighed. "I've doomed us all..." He almost regretted getting off the Dutchman, now all these men would face the same terror he had. Or worse. He looked down to see the others still pondering what ship it was. Aragorn sat quietly waiting for the news he knew he would hear.

"It's The Flying Dutchman!" Will shouted to the men below.

The entire ship gave a sudden lurch and came to a halt in the waters where it once sailed. Will had been leaning down to give the message and was thrown off his feet as the ship jerked.


	8. Chapter 8

The entire ship gave a sudden lurch and came to a halt in the waters where it once sailed. Will had been leaning down to give the message and was thrown off his feet as the ship jerked.

Legolas called out Will's name as he saw the man fall, quickly catching him by his arm. Will called out as he fell, and was greatly surprised when the elf's strong hands stopped his decent, He and Legolas worked quickly to get him back up on his feet.

Aragorn looked up when he heard Will's name to see the man dangling from Legolas' grip._ God bless the balance and strength of the elves_.

"Must have hit a reef." He heard the captain say, the last time he heard those words was about a ship whose passengers were now worse off then dead men.

"Keel the rudder! Hard to port then hard to Starboard!" the captain ordered, looking down at the "reef" they had hit.

Aragorn watched in shock and terror as the captain was pulled off his ship. A giant tentacle raised him up above the water before plunging him back down. He stood speechless as a man beside him stuttered:

"K-Kr-KRAKEN!" the poor man could barely speak as he pointed in horror to the beast off shore. Soon the entire ship was in an uproar, Aragorn was sure he had heard the name 'Kraken' about a million times before they were done. He drew his sword and raced to the helm.

Will was back on his feet and he and Legolas watched the chaos from their high places on the mast. They could see the tentacles slowly climbing up the sides of the ship, giant pillars of bubbles accompanying them, as the men below gathered their arms Legolas shouted a warning to Aragorn as one of the tentacles crept over the rail towards him, luckily the man did not need the warning, as he had chopped it before it had time or length to attack. The tentacle quickly retreated to the deep, only to be replaced by three more.

Utter chaos engulfed the entire ship as giant tentacles went everywhere. Grabbing men and drawing them into the deep. They were so think that an axe or small sword did them little harm at most points. Luckily the sword Aragorn wielded was not a little one. It did more damage then most, but still was practically useless against such a large foe. Loud shots few past the ranger's head, although he doubted they would affect the creature at all. He fought like a madman, running as fast as he could dodging skilled and slippery tentacles, he found himself once again at the stern.

Legolas lost sight of his friend as the mast beneath him snapped. One of the Giant tentacles wrapped its powerful form around the once sturdy wood that it cracked as if no more then a twig. He and Will franticly grabbed hold of the rigging as the support beneath then began to lean and fall forward. Will took the incentive and leapt towards the sail now directly before him. The leaning of the mast had thrust him towards it and he finished the job before it was finished for him. But the sail provided no stable ground. He hit it and began to fall quickly towards the tentacle infested deck below. Legolas followed him quickly, finding the same lack of assistance from the mast; the elf found and grabbed one of the many small fastening lines attached to the mast. Stopping his fall halfway down, he clung for dear life with his hands, but found no rest for his dangling legs. He watched as Will found another way to stop. The man quickly pulled out the knife his father had given him. He thrust it hard into the sail, creating a long jagged cut as he fell. It may not have slowed him much, but it kept his flat against the canvas of the sail. As he came the bottom he desperately grabbed at the rigging, catching himself with one hand on the ropes that hung there. He stowed the knife between his teeth as he looked up to see Legolas carefully making his way down, rope by rope and fasten point by fasten point. Legolas fought off the rising fear of falling as his arms weakened with every sudden drop and jerking stop. By the end his arms were so weary of the motion he missed the last rope al together, but caught himself on the bottom beam of the mast. Another of the kraken's giant tentacles slowly curled around the mast on with they stood as Legolas helped to haul Will back to his feet once more. Bracing himself against the rigging, Will drew his sword and stabbed and fought the giant tentacle, defending both of them, but the tentacle did not go away. Legolas hurriedly pulled out his bow, stringing it and quickly letting off an arrow; he hit the squid arm dead on, sending it crawling back to the cool water below.

"Legolas!" Aragorn's cries were heard from the deck below by the elf. Legolas turned quickly, looking franticly around for his friend; the ranger was not on the deck.

"LEGOLAS!!" Aragorn cried again, finally the elf spotted him. Aragorn hung now, upside down, Giant tentacles held him air born, two of them, tightening and threatening to squeeze the life right of the man. Aragorn could hardly breathe now. Legolas turned to him quickly, loosing two arrows in rapid succession. The strong tentacles loosened there grip but a little, retreating in the water, the drug Aragorn with them.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called out, continuing his rain of arrows. Finally the tentacles reacted properly, releasing the ranger completely to make good their escape.

Legolas' attention was captured as the two largest tentacles they had seen yet rose above the ship. Climbing higher then the highest mast they poised to come crashing down. Crushing sail and mast, deck and everything beneath it, the huge beast's largest arms cracked the boat in two. The men below fired there last desperate shots as many of them were crushed along with the ship. Cargo and weapons flew everywhere at the impact, and Legolas barely caught sight of Aragorn once more as the man fell from the kraken's grasp, he hit the ground hard, but scrambled up to the stern. As the huge tentacles made impact he was knocked off the far end of the ship, his head slammed backwards by a flying piece of wood. A look of quickly approaching terror decorated the man's face before he lost all awareness and fell back first into the water behind him.

The rest of the ship was tilted up, forcing most everything and everyone to fall and slide to the center, where the Kraken awaited them. Its Giant mouth opened wide to engulf its captured enemies, dead or alive. Legolas and Will watched in shock and horror as they stood on the last remaining mast. That too, was snapped quickly by the large tentacles that crawled up it. With another huge jolt the mast on which they stood once again began to fall... this time they were much lower and closer to the water. Legolas ran to the starboard side of the falling mast, diving into the water as far from the beast as he could. Will followed quickly, leaping from the mast into the sea. The mast followed them down, and the two swam deeper to escape its sinking weight. Catching a glimpse of the full body of the beast that attacked them, a giant squid like creature that looked to be able to fit the whole of a smaller ship inside it. Surfacing quickly, they watched as the last of the wreckage was either swallowed or abandon by the beast. Will quickly grabbed a hold of a nearby piece of drift wood, large enough to hold him. Legolas followed the motion, grabbing the other side. Will rested his head of the only half floating piece of wood as he attempted to slow his wildly beating heart. But Legolas had no time to rest.

"I'm going back there." He said quickly, without a second thought.

"You're mad!" Will called after him, but the elf did not answer. He had to save Aragorn. He was confident the ranger was alive. Or at least... he wanted to be confident. The slowly creeping assurance that it was not possible knocked on the door of his heart as it invaded his mind, but he swam on. Working his way through the water to the point he had seen the man fall. He found the ranger's body floating a few yards off. He quickly looped his arm under the man's arms, across his chest and hauled him to a piece of wood floating nearby. Aragorn's limp body fell against he wood, he took no hold of it, and Legolas had to keep him from floating off. The elf's finger's found hold on Aragorn's wet shirt and he pulled him farther unto the wood before slipping his fingers to the man's throat. _Thank God_. Aragorn had a pulse. His eyes did not open, but Legolas had no time to waste waking him.

Will found his time to rest had quickly run out as he saw the dreaded ship approaching. The Dutchman had come to survey the wreckage. He quickly abandoned the piece of wood and swam towards the ship. He hauled himself up onto the forecastle where he hope he would escape being seen and could catch a ride. He risked looking up to the men on the deck. Several men he knew must have been captured were sat much in the same way he, Legolas, and Aragorn had been when they were captured.

"The boy's not here." He heard one of the mates say to Davy. Whom he spotted a way's down the deck. "He must have been claimed by the sea."

"I am the sea." Davy answered. Will was not sure exactly what he meant, but he feared the Captain knew that he still lived. Davy stalked towards his hiding spot, but turned before he got to close. "You need time alone with your thoughts!" he said to bootstrap, who Will saw, held at sword point the man stood in a trance, watching at what must have been he's son's brutal death. "Brig!" Davy yelled, walking past the grieving father.

"What of the survivors?" the hammer headed man asked his captain. Davy stopped for a moment to see the frightened looks on the five men's faces.

"There are no survivors." He said in a deep voice. Will turned his head away as the men quickly slaughtered the prisoners and tossed them overboard. Davy approached the rail and Will quickly and quietly moved from his hiding place, he sat himself in the forecastle, the beams above his head blocking any view from above; He looked into the water below. One of the most horrifying sights he had yet seen met his eyes. Aragon's dead corpse floated slowly past the ship, his emotionless face up, Legolas lay next to him, his face down and his arm still draped limply over his friend's body. Blood drained from the ranger's forehead and the elf's arm. Will could only look down in shock as the body's floated by. He never thought he would see such a thing. Never thought that he, once again could become the sole survivor of a pirate's attack, never thought he would see Aragorn or Legolas die in such a brutal way. He could almost hear Davy laughing from above him as the bodies passed out of sight. He had to find Elizabeth. She was all he had left now. He uttered a silent prayer to God.

"The chest is no longer safe." He heard Davy's voice come from somewhere above him. "Chart a course to Isle Cruces." He instructed his men. "Get me there first, or there'll be the devil to pay!"

"'First'?" The man asked him.

"Who sent that thieving charlatan onto my ship?" Davy asked in anger "Who told him of they key?"

The man had no answer.

"Jack Sparrow." Davy ground out.

Will settled himself at last in the prow of the forecastle, waves splashed around him, the saltwater washing over his legs, and the foam splashing about his chest. It would not be the funnest of rides, but it would do.

Legolas risked a breath of air as the reached the stern. His careful guise as a dead man had worked, the sickening laughter from the Dutchman still wrung in his ears as he drug he still unconscious ranger toward the boat. He had watched Will catch a ride on the front, and if he did not see the man jump off, they too would stay on the boat as well. He swam to a place where they could be carried for a time in the large boat's wake and attempted to wake Aragorn. Luckily he still hung on to the piece of driftwood, it had helped keep up his play of dead man. He moved the ranger so he was fully supported by it and gabbed hold, shaking the man as fast as possible.

Aragorn blinked as he woke. His hand went to his head and he groaned at his enormous headache. One of the first things he realized is that he was on the water. He quickly looked around. Legolas held fast to the small piece of wood he found he himself was laying on. It was a precarious spot, and the fact that they were floating just behind the Flying Dutchman made it none the better. HE quickly slid halfway off the wood to give Legolas more room. They swam up closer to the ship together.

"What happened?" Aragorn said, his head still foggy.

"You were knocked out by the kraken. I got you out of there and we tricked Davy into believing we're dead. For once you being unconscious helped more then it harmed." Legolas said, a small smile alighting on his face. "Now I believe Will has caught a ride on the prow of the ship, so we'll catch one back here." The elf suggested. He pulled out one of his knives and slammed it against the wood of the ship. It only partially pierced the wood, but he could use it as an anchor until the got a better one. The elf motioned for Aragorn to take hold of the knife and sit atop the piece of wood. Aragorn followed instruction, and Legolas was soon rummaging through the water logged pack on his back. He pulled out the length of rope he knew the ranger always kept on him.

"My turn." HE told the ranger, and Aragorn slipped off the makeshift float, allowing the elf to get on. Legolas sat cross-legged, as Aragorn still held the wood to the boat with his knife. The prince tied the rope onto one of the few arrows he had left, strung his still wet bow, and prepared to make a shot at one of the higher beams of wood on the decks of the stern. It would not be the best shot, since he was not standing and the water threw in all kinds of new variables. He drew back the string and sighted the rail of the first balcony. The arrow flew quickly, but as the waves tossed both the elf and his target, he missed his mark. The arrow grazed the wood but took no hold.

"Here, let me try." The ranger suggested, he knew he would never be a better shot, but he had a different plan. He sat atop the wood in the same way Legolas had, as the elf held his seat in place. Pulling out a small knife he cut a section of the long rope off, and tied his flint stone to the arrow tip. He took up Legolas' bow, sighting just past the same piece of wood. "Let go!" He shouted to his friend, the elf obeyed quickly, releasing his hold on his knife and allowing them both to float off slightly. As Aragorn released the arrow, it flew up past the rail, but that was all according to plan. The sudden change in his shooting position and the weight at the tip of the arrow allowed the projectile to this time come down on the other side of the rail, looping the rope over it. Aragorn caught the rope in both hands as the Arrow landed in the water between them and the Dutchman. Legolas smiled at his friend's ingenious plan and swam to retrieve the rope, arrow, and his knife. They switched ends if the roe and positions so that Legolas could be the first one up. Aragorn used his own weight and strong upward kicks to help anchor the elf as he helped to hoist him up. Legolas' accent was quick, with both of them combining their strength. Once up he tied his end to the bar it had been looped on. He investigated the safety of the small balcony. It seemed to be only for decoration, as there were no door leading inside, and the windows that lead out to it were covered in whatever sea creature or plant covered the rest of the whole ship. He gave the good message to the ranger below and Aragorn began his own accent to the deck above. There was another balcony above them to block them from view. It was the perfect hiding place.


	9. Chapter 9

At last, they arrived at their destination. The small spit of land looked more like a sandbar then an island, but they could see the woods grew much thicker in one direction, and solid land formed.

"Down!" they heard it yelled from above. Suddenly the entire ship was leaned forward. The bow dipping into the water. Legolas stood to his feet, quickly waking the sleeping ranger next to him. The floor under them was sinking fast, and they had to get off. Legolas urged the Ranger to follow him as he dove off of the rail into the water below. He swam away from the ship so his friend had no chance of landing on him, and they began to make their way towards shore. They did not see Will in the water, and they only hoped he had also ridden to his little isle. They drug themselves, once again dripping wet, up onto the sandy beach. No one was in sight, but several sets of footprints lead away from the beach. They turned back to see the Dutchman had submerged completely, a strange trick indeed. The two set off down the beech, following the foot prints took quite a while, as they seemed to take long cuts rather then short ones, but eventually they found their makers.

"I'm going to kill Jones!" Will voice came to their ears, he was some way up the beach and probably over the next rage, so they couldn't see him, and he, obviously, couldn't see them.

The sound of a sword being drawn caught their attention as they slowly made it up the ridge. Instantly in defensive positions, they instead of simply walking up decided to see before entering. Aragorn lead his friend up the ridge quietly, hiding behind the plants to watch the goings on "I can't let you do that, William." the familiar voice of Jack Sparrow came next to their ears. He held his sword, pointed at Will. The man knelt before what looked to be a small chest with the key and his father's knife in his hands. He looked up the sword to see jack above him shooting him a questioning look.

"'Cause if Jones is dead, who's to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh?" Jack questioned. It made sense, really. And Will certainly did not want to meet the Kraken again. A third man and a woman caught the elf and ranger's eyes. As for here they saw right away that she was Elizabeth, although instead of the dress that adorned he last time, she now sported the clothing of a man, with a sword at her side. The other man they could not recognize him in the least, and they were sure he had not been on the pearl last time they were. He narrowed his eyes at Jack in anger and suspicion. Will stood to his feet, realizing that Jack was right.

"Now, if you please." Jack put his hand out to receive his trade as Will stowed his knife. "The key."

Will looked to Jack's hand, but instead of handing him what he wanted, he simply backed away a pace. Standing next to Elizabeth he took her sword, his own had been lost to the kraken. He pointed the weapon at Jack. "I keep the promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it."

"I can't let you do that either!" the third man spoke up. "So sorry." That voice. Aragorn knew that voice. It seamed Legolas did too as he whispered into the Ranger's ear.

"Is that the Commodore?"

Aragorn nodded slowly, the man had changed much since there last meeting, and he had no clue what he was doing in Jack's company, but here he was.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually." Jack stood, his sword now hanging at his side, but Will's sword still pointed at him.

"Commodore?" Aragorn came over the ridge, behind Elizabeth, followed closely by Legolas. Norrington turned to him quickly with a fire in his eye. Obviously he _was not_ a Commodore anymore, and he was not happy about it.

"Strider! Legolas!" Will greeted them, in a bit of gladdened shock "How..."

"How did you get here?" Jack finished Will's sentence. His voice tone reveled that he was a bit put off by their arrival.

"Don't ask." Aragorn said. He looked back to Norington, who glared still at him with a fire in his eyes. The ranger fingered his sword, ready to draw it if need be.

"What's happening here?" Legolas asked his own questions.

"Lord Becket desires the contence of that chest. I deliver it and I get my life back." As he spoke, Norrington switched his position from pointing at Will to pointing at Jack, as Will switched from Jack to him. Jack took a moment to register the movement before pointing his sword once again at Will.

"Ah, the dark side of ambition." Jack said.

"Oh, I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption." Norrington retorted.

"Well that answers very few of my questions." Legolas rolled his eyes. He surveyed the scene, the chest, he presumed held Davy's heart, Will had the key, and by the looks of things, both of the other men wanted it from him. "Well..." Legolas began "If we are all drawing weapons, I believe it's three on one... on one." He drew his ivory handled knives with a flip of his wrist, setting them in an X position in front of him. Aragorn followed his move and drew his own blade, crouching in a defensive position and placing the blade between himself and Norington.

The former commodore took his chance against one rather then three. With a shout, he lashed out at Captain Jack. Jack blocked quickly, and turned his own attack on William. Will caught the blade on his own, deflecting hit with a grunt and took his chance, diving between Jack and Norington as the two crossed their swords together. Norrington quickly turned to overtake Will, but he was soon confronted with the board blade of Aragorn's long sword. H stopped abruptly before the blade could dig into the flesh under his chin, and swiped his blade out to his right. Aragorn came around with another attempted blow, But Norrington quickly hopped out of the way, using his free hand, he grabbed the hilt of Aragorn's sword, Pulling it up over his head he passed the man by quickly and went back to chasing Will. Jack however had a much bigger problem. As Will ran past him, he turned to give chase, But Legolas followed his look alike before turning back to fend off the pirate captain. Twin blades caught Jack's cutlass above his head, As Jack pulled back for another swing, he found himself once more doing no damage at all. Legolas blocked with one knife and went in for a swipe of his own, With a bit of a yell, Jack caught Legolas' wrist, dodging the swipe of the elf's other blade he ducked and Ran once more towards Will. He and Norington reached the man at almost the same time, Will turned to face their attack, Blocking Jack with his sword and Norrington by grabbing his arm, He threw the former naval officer into the pirate captain, using his foes against each other once more. Jack avoided being knocked over and quickly took his prize, Bending down to duck an incoming blade, he snatched the key from Will's hand. Turning once more to deflect a blade, Jack quickly fled his two attackers.

Will recovered from his momentary confusion as Aragorn and Legolas ran past him and quickly set out for Jack, but Norington was in his way. Their blades met in mid air, But Will soon found himself on the ground. Norrington's boot made harsh contact with his chest, sending his sprawling onto the sandy beech.

"Will!" Elizabeth called, running to the downed man's side. The shout caught Aragorn's attention half a second to long, as he crossed blades with Jack, he looked back to see the commotion. The Pirates captain took his chance to land a solid punch to the ranger's face.

The force sun Aragorn around and sent him to the ground. Landing hard on his face, he quickly cleared the sand out of his eyes as Legolas literally jumped over him to catch Jack. The elf ran forwards and slammed both arms into the pirate, knocking him to the ground; Legolas took from him they key. With a shout, Jack struck out at him, but Legolas was long gone. Helping the ranger off his feet without bothering to stop his forward movement, the elf made his Way back to Will.

"Gaud the chest." Will told Elizabeth, regaining his feet and heading to get the key from Legolas.

"NO!" Elizabeth squealed, slamming her fists in the sand.

Aragorn got up and followed his friend, Keeping Norrington a safe distance from the key. Legolas held it out for Will, but Aragorn's guard broke. The commodore's hand swooped from seemingly nowhere, grasping the key and taking off with it. Will gave a frustrated look before chasing after him.

"Please." He shot a quick look behind his shoulder where Elizabeth was NOT guarding the chest before taking off after James.

Aragorn and Legolas ran to post themselves as guards as Elizabeth ran past them.

"This is barbaric!" She shouted, running after the three still fighting men "This is NO way for grown men to settle-- Oh, fine! Let's just haul out our swords and start banging away at each other! That will solve everything!" She slowed her pace, making a dramatic show of her speech, while still yelling at the top of her lungs. "I've had it! I've had it with wobbly-legged rum-soaked pirates!" she shouted. Finally running out of words to say, she bent down and picked up a glob of sand and tossed it at the three men who still paid her no heed. Contenting herself with throwing rocks and sand as they went on, her exceptionally bad aim had little effect. "Enough!" She yelled, as Aragorn and Legolas watched silently. "This is madness!!"

The elf and ranger were very glad that she could not hear them, for her actions provoked many quiet laughs.

"Oh! O-oh! The heat!" She put her hand to her head and pretended to faint, laying on the sane but a moment, she received no response, as Will, Jack, and Norrington still fought down the beech. Sitting up she grabbed her hat and plopped it back on her head, looking far too much like a small child having a temper tantrum.

Will, Norrington, and Jack fought on, running down the beech, splashing through the shallows, ever swinging swords at each other, ever blocking them. Aragorn and Legolas were sure they saw the key switch hands more then once. They thought to go help Will, when they saw Norrington grab him from behind and shove him to the ground, kicking a shower of sand in his face, but soon they found themselves instead needed at their posts.

Pintel walked quickly up the small hill, Regetti on his tail. "Oh..." a small sound of disappointment escaped his lips as he confronted the chest's guards.

"Oh?" Aragorn asked, his hand going once more to his hilt.

"Aragorn..." Legolas tapped the ranger on the shoulder; the two pirates were the least of their guarding worries.

A low groaning rose from the waters off shore, strange sounds that were frighteningly familiar. The shapes of more then ten mutant figures rose from the sea. Davy's men had come for the chest as well. They ran to retrieve it, and Aragorn and Legolas ran to meet them.

Blades crossed, but it was two against many. Legolas and Aragon were driven back towards the chest. Almost upon it, their efforts doubled to keep it out of reach. Aragorn tripped, falling backwards, he felt the chest itself make hard contact with the back of his head.

_Thump-Thump_ He heard, right behind his ear.

"Regetti! Pintel!" he yelled to the men, who stood, panic stricken by their foes. "Take it!" he yelled, standing and thrusting the chest into Regetti's hands. The pirate fumbled with the sudden burden for only a moment before realizing that all of his enemy's eyes were now on him. Sharing the load with Pintel, they ran off into the woods. Aragorn and Legolas fought still to keep Davy's men away from the chest, buy they could only buy so much time. The deathless men pressed on even harder. Almost seeming to read each other's minds, the two warriors quickly decided that retreat was the best option.

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to see Pintel and Regetti run off with the chest held between them. Oblivious to the commotion some ways off behind her, she took off after them. "Oh no you don't..."

Legolas and Aragorn ran madly through the woods, intentionally taking a different path then the chest, but it seemed that there was no way to get away. Pintel and Regetti's path zig-zaged through forest to avoid patches of untreadable undergrowth, skillfully picking the only path there was, after leaving evidence of getting thoroughly stuck in every place imaginable. Legolas looked ahead, great. He could see Pintel and Regetti, swords drawn, and Elizabeth standing defenseless with her back to the elf. Now was NOT the time for arguments. He heard Aragorn shout his name as an axe flew past his head, wedging itself deeply into the wood of a tall tree. The three figures before them all stopped, turning to see where the weapon had come from.

"Move!" Aragorn shouted, Davy's men were on his tail now, one trip and it would all be over. Pintel and Regetti were promptly scared out of their wits at the sight of the mob coming for them and, as Elizabeth backed up next to them, they handed both of their blades over to her, grabbing the chest once more. Elizabeth found herself now with two blades, but a resistance here would not be easy. Turning tail, she ran after the two pirates. Only seconds behind, Legolas and Aragorn broke through the underbrush, in what seemed like mere inches from Davy's clutches. Elizabeth screamed at the sight, but ran on, never before had she seen such grotesque creatures.

Pintel looked back over his shoulder as he ran, both he and Regetti now looking back o see how close their foes were, they ran past a tree that lay between them. With a thud, the chest was ripped from their hands. Catching on the tree and falling to the ground, they did not notice until it was too late. Both of them, and Elizabeth, looked back to view their mistake. Resistance would have to do. But their foes were on the almost on the chest now, and closing fast.

Aragorn watched the scene in dismay, he could not blame them for their fear, but why did these things always have to happen? He purposefully fell to his knees. Sliding on the wet foliage, he landed protectively around the chest, holding it between his knees; he was in no position to protect himself. The others started back for him, but he would not have it.

"GO!" he shouted, knowing he would have the protection he needed. Legolas arrived at his side in seconds, standing over him protectively, facing his foes. Davy's men slowed, gathering around them in a circle. Aragorn's head sank, as he curled a bit lower around the precious chest, but the fire in Legolas' eyes remained. He knew exactly what the elf had in mind. Settling until he was thoroughly surrounded, the elf took the time to focus a bit, he had practiced this before, but never had to use it. Positioning both knives outward, he spun gracefully on his right foot, the twin blades striking everything in their circular path; he made a full rotation, effectively hitting the entire front line. Two more of the brutes stepped up, taking him on at once from the front and the back. Legolas took a step forward, thrusting his knife into the stomach of one attacker, while pushing the other behind his shoulder; his second knife pierced the mutant's head and drove him back long enough for Aragorn to stand. The ranger switched to one-handed tactics and he held the chest under his left arm, he and Legolas fought through the shocked mob. With Elizabeth now leading, the group of five ran through the forest, but their foes were upon them. A thick chain tangled in Aragorn's feet, sending him to the ground. The chest was forced from his grasp as he fell, crying out as he lost his precious cargo, he looked up to see a slimy hand bend to pick it up.

Aragorn looked up in dismay as one of Davy's men picked up the chest, he tried desperately to crawl and grab it, but a solid foot found its place on his back. He dried out softly as his still fresh wounds were rubbed almost to bleeding once more from his efforts to escape. A sharp pain shot through his left shoulder, a small axe finding its mark. The blade sliced into his shoulder, digging in near his collarbone. The attacker, satisfied with Aragorn's cries, quickly yanked his weapon free and continued on, leaving Aragorn to die.

"Sword!"

"Sword!"

"Aragorn!"

The others tossed their two one handed blades between the three of them, trying their best to defend everyone at once. Legolas ran to his friend, kneeling to help him up.

"Chest!" Aragorn cried franticly, attempting to hide his pain and let Legolas run and retrieve the precious box without him. Legolas would do no such thing. He grabbed the Ranger's good arm, half helping half dragging him to his feet; he walked the man out of the battle zone, and after the thief. Leaving the din and shouts, a new reached the elf's ears.

A low grinding sound filled the woods accompanied by the sound of foliage crashing. As Aragorn and Legolas made their way through the woods, they heard the cause of the sound. The sound of metal clashing against metal found its place in the growing noise, as its source came closer.

"Ahh!" Will's voice reached their ears only seconds before he came in view. A giant wheel rolled over the hill. The huge wooden wheel must have been over twenty feet tall, and crashed, unstoppable, through the trees. Legolas' eyes widened as he spotted three figures riding in the wheel. He quickly lowered the ranger down, propping him against a tree; He could see the pain flashing over Aragorn's face.

"Hang on, Mellon nin." He whispered, quickly opening the man's shirt to survey the damage. He pulled the ranger's pack from his back, rifling through it to find the bandages. Aragorn sucked his breath in sharply as Legolas hurriedly wrapped up his shoulder. Stiffening once again as Legolas asked him to raise his arm so he could bandage it and leave the ranger with some movement still. Aragorn bit his lip against the movement, Pain once more slicing through his shoulder. He knew the elf could not be extremely gentle and fast at the same time, and that fast is what mattered right now. Legolas looked up from his friend for a moment to see the Wheel roll by, his brow knotting and his attention fully captured.

"What?" Aragorn asked, his back to the attraction and a tree between it and him. With no small amount of pain, Aragorn shifted his weight. Legolas wrapped his arm around the man's shoulders, helping distribute the weight away from his injury; the two watched the surprising scene unfold.

Will, Jack, and Norrington could be seen inside the wheel, their swords crossing and uncrossing, they still fought for the key. The two onlookers could see Jack grab something from Will's hand, guessing it to be the key itself. Will lashed out at the pirate, but Jack dodged quickly, climbing out of the wheel, he rode the outside edge to the very top. Walking on it for a few steps with surprising talent, Jack took his chance and grabbed the high branch of a passing tree. The long, thin branch bent under his weight, lowering him down several feet before braking off completely. The captain landed safely on his feet.

The wheel however, rolled on. Will and Norrington's shouts of panic as the rolling piece of scrap wood in which they were trapped gained speed. As soon as the commotion was over, Legolas caught sight of his prey. On what had been the other side of the wheel from him was the mutant that now held the chest. Leaning Aragorn back against the tree, he placed one last comforting hand on his cheek before taking off.

"Hold on." He repeated to his friend. Aragorn nodded, he wanted Legolas to get that chest, and if it caused him a bit of pain, so be it. But what he would _not_ do is sit and wait while Legolas struggled, oblivious to his friend's well being. He propped himself painfully against the tree, watching as Legolas almost over took his enemy. His attention was then captured by Jack, who, after landing, had also surveyed the scene. The mutant ran past him, carrying, of all things the chest. Legolas ran right behind him, determined to rid the creature of its burden. He mused for but a second before making his decision. Picking up a large coconut, he raised it above his head and tossed it. The spinning projectile hit its mark with surprising accuracy, knocking the crewman in the head and off his feet. The force knocked the chest right out of his hands. Legolas stopped short, seeing his quarry suddenly knocked to the ground; he approached the chest with caution.

"Legolas!" Aragorn gave a shout of warning a moment to late. A second coconut made hard impact, slamming into Legolas' side. The elf gave a short cry, but it was quickly cut off as he was also slammed to the ground. Jack ran up quickly, taking the chest and making off with it. Aragorn ran from his safe place by the tree, gripping his newly bandaged shoulder tightly through his only half-closed shirt, he made his way through the forest to where the elf lay.

"Legolas?" He said again as he reached the elf's side, The projectile had hit him hard on his side, sending him to the ground, where his body made sharp contact with the rocks and his head a hard blow to a tree, sending him into a world of darkness. Aragorn pulled his now blood stained hand away from his lightly bandaged shoulder and franticly felt for a pulse. He found one, that was a blessing, but the elf still would not wake. "Come on." The determination in his heart was renewed as he remembered that Jack had taken the chest. Pulling Legolas halfway onto himself, he held the elf on his right shoulder, fighting around the pain it caused him, he made his slow progress through the forest after Jack.

After only a sort while of searching, Aragorn found _half _of what he wanted. The chest lay, with the key in the lock, on the forest floor. Before the ranger could lower his burden to retrieve it, the sounds of battle reached his ears once more. Davy's men came crashing through the woods once more. Pintel, Regetti, and Elizabeth ran before them once more, still fighting them off whenever they got to close. Aragorn abandon the chest, running into a think nest of underbrush, throwing himself to the ground and sitting at the base of a small tree, he held Legolas' still limp body against his own, praying they would not be found amidst the tall bushes, as the battle behind them grew louder.


	10. Chapter 10

Out of the corner of his eye, Aragorn could see Pintel and Regetti bend down quickly to snatch the chest from the bushes, carrying it off and out of the forest. Right behind them ran Elizabeth, still holding both swords, and behind her ran their horde of mutant assailants. As soon as they had past, Aragorn shifted his position and attempted to wake the elf lying in his lap. Legolas was totally unresponsive. With much effort, he stood them both up, draping the elf on his back; he wrapped his friend's arms about his own neck and attempted to carry him off. After only one step he was almost thrown to his knees, searing pain shooting up his burdened shoulder in a sudden shock that reminded him of his injury. With a sigh, he made a different attempt at carrying Legolas, placing his good shoulder at the elf's stomach, he hoisted him up again, holding his legs and letting his head rest on the small of his back. Once more he set out toward the beach, drawing his sword.

Soon he reached the edge of the forest, hearing the sounds of battle not far off; he took a deep breath before heading in. Breaking through the foliage, he found himself in a battle zone. Elizabeth, Pintel, and Regetti protected the chest, trying to get it to the life boat, where Captain Jack stood, but Will and Norington were no where to be seen. Aragorn ran towards the lifeboat, hoping to wake Legolas and confront Jack. Running as fast as he could through the mid-calf high shallows was a feat in and of itself, and doing it while carrying another being on his shoulders was a story of its own. The mutants that suddenly surrounded him, intent on taking him down, did not help matter either. Just as he fought a second one off with his bad arm, he lost his footing. In the water, he could not escape the heavy chain that sought to quickly and painfully entangle itself around his knees, and he fell to the ground. Dropping Legolas, the elf woke slightly as the salty water made contact with his face, and the still red, but fading sings of his time on the Dutchman. Aragorn fought to press himself out of the water, trying to free his still deeply wounded back from its fully submerged position in the salty water with a short cry of pain. Standing up quickly, He ducked a sword as it swung over his head, picking his own blade out of the sea, he parried the next swing, standing over his friend as, to his relief, the elf awoke, however slowly.

"Come on!" He yelled, ducking again, he grabbed Legolas around the chest, hoisting him up out of the water; he restored his friend to his feet and practically carried him toward the lifeboat. Just then, Aragorn saw again the great wheel Norington and Will had been riding. It broke through the trees at an alarming pace, and the two men's dizzy screams could be heard from inside as it rolled by, smashing Aragorn's assailants to the ground as it went. Changing course, He directed the still very unwary Legolas towards the wheel, as it slowed in the water and fell on its side. They could see both William and Norington crawl out of the wheel, both falling down, again, unable to walk a straight line for more then two paces.

"Right." Will said, his dizzy eyes trying to focus on the fight at hand. He took one step before falling on his face in the salt water. As Aragorn ran towards him, it was not long before Legolas joined his look-alike in falling face first into the brine. The two of them helped each other up, finally at least partially sure they could fight again, if Aragorn were not in life threatening danger it would have amused him to no end. Soon their enemies came upon them, and Legolas and Will both realized that they could fight. They had to.

"Chest..." Will mumbled, barely audible. Seeing Pintel and Regetti holding it, and plant it down in the lifeboat, we left his friends to go and stop them. Aragorn and Legolas found themselves once again in the middle of a fight that could not be won. Slowly, they worked their way back to the lifeboat. Will held the chest in his hands, looking curiously at the key already in place. It finally donned on Aragorn that what his friend really wanted was the heart.

"Will!" He ran to the man's side, about to whisper to him that Jack had taken it.

As he leaned in to whisper, his friend was suddenly struck to the ground. Crying out softly at the blow, Will's unconscious form slumped on the side of the ship. Aragorn looked up to see Jack, armed with an oar, standing over the body.

"Jac-" The word was not even out of his mouth when the captain threw another swing, this time at him. The ranger's sword instinctively jumped in the way, catching the wood of the oar and wedging into it, He did not have time to yank it out before Jack swung the oar around, slamming the smooth handle into the back of his head, as his still stuck sword flung him forward.

"Will!"

"Strider!"

Elizabeth and Legolas called, one after the other, rushing over to the boat.

"Leave 'em lie!" Jack yelled, taking his oar one more defensively against the mutants closing in on them. "Unless you plan on using them to hit something with..." He added dryly. Legolas could not stop himself from rolling his eyes at the strange humor, standing guard over his two friends, between Elizabeth and Jack.

"We're not getting out of this..." Elizabeth muttered, as the monsters closed in on them.

"Not with the chest." Norington corrected her. Grabbing it, He prepared to make a suicide run. "Into the long boat!" he ordered the others.

"You're mad!" Elizabeth called, catching his arm.

"Don't wait for me." He shrugged off the accusation, turning his back, he slipped the chest under his arm and grasped his sword in the other, splashing through the shallows, he broke though the line of mutants and ran madly into the forest, drawing all their assailants after him.

"I say we respect his final wish." Jack turned to get in the boat.

"Aye!" the others turned with him, Legolas hoisting both Aragorn and William all the way in, he watch the island flat slowly away, saddened that the man was still left there. He idly rubbed his still pained head, finding a small trail of blood now streaming down the side of his face. He was thankful that Will and Aragorn had escaped with only bruises, but his needed to be bound. Rifling through his friend's pack, he found a small, now wet roll of cloth, drying it as best he could and wrapping it around his head. This was one trip he would not forget.

Aragorn groaned quietly as he awoke, extremely disappointed to find that he was still on the sea. The mind numbing sway carrying him back and forth over and over, he swore he would never get used to it. And the splitting headache he found himself with was not helping at all. A soft hand stroked his cheek as he placed his hand to his head, trying to calm the lightning that still flash before his eyes.

"Awake?" He heard Legolas' voice ask.

"No." Aragorn answered simply, with no sarcasm in his voice.

"I'm sorry, tell me when you are and I'll be back." He heard the elf play along with his game, getting up to leave.

"No..." Aragorn grabbed the prince's wrist, opening his eyes for the first time, to see that he was laying on the main deck, with Legolas sitting beside him.

"Is that all you can say, then?" the elf smiled.

"No." Aragorn laughed.

"Alright, then, what else?" Legolas pushed him.

"Well... What happened?" He sat up slightly, wondering how he had gotten back aboard the Pearl.

"Norington took the chest to draw them off... He...told us to leave without him." Legolas stated how they had escaped, but leaned closer to whisper what the ranger really wanted "I don't know who has the heart, though. From the look of things it's Jack."

At that moment the Captain walked by, holding his jar of dirt as if it were a cat in his arms.

"What of the commodore?" They heard Gibbs ask, walking up behind Jack.

"He fell behind..." Jack said rather offhandedly.

"My prayers be with him..." Gibb's voice sounded sorrowful for a moment. "Best not wallow in our grief!" His mood cleared considerably with in a matter of seconds. "The good news is you made it back, free and clear!"

In the next instant Mr. Gibbs was proven wrong.

"Lord on High..." The first mate's tone turned alarmed "Deliver us!" He said, as a sudden crashing of waves filled the air. Everyone turned to see the one thing they all dreaded rising from the deep. Legolas helped Aragorn to his feet and they both stood next to Will and Elizabeth as the Flying Dutchman came crashing up through the waters right beside the Pearl. The same mutants that they had killed so many times over now rode up beside them.

Aragorn scrambled to his feet, before stumbling into Legolas as the blood rushed from his head, momentarily slamming them both into the main mast.

"I'll handle this, mate." Jack pushed Gibbs out of the way as the Flying Dutchman pulled fully up beside them, Davy Jones coming to the side. "Oi! Fish face!" He called, catching the squid like captain's attention and his anger all at once. "Loose something? Aye? Scungiili!" He said, holding his jar of dirt over his head proudly before tripping down the stairs, his feet going over his head. The elf and ranger exchanged sideways glances at the captain's odd antics, knowing this would be counted odd even if it was Jack Sparrow. Their thoughts that he had the heart were confirmed as he continued, "Got it!!" he held the jar, still somehow intact, above his head again, before hoisting himself off the ground "Come to negotiate, hey? Have you, you slimy git?" He grinned, walking past Aragorn, Legolas, William, and Elizabeth, who looked on with skeptic faces "Look what I got!" He held the jar up once more "I got a jar a di-irt, I got a jar a di-irt, and guess what's inside it!" He sing-songed oddly, smiling and holding it over his head again. Davy did not look impressed.

"Enough!" the Captain spat, giving the command to prepare to fire. The gun ports opened all together, and the guns were rolled out. Jack, frozen in place, barely squeaked out a single order.

"Hard to starboard..." He said.

"Hard to starboard!" Elizabeth echoed, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Brace up the foreyard!" Will took said, running to do so himself.

In an instant, the entire deck was a live. Legolas and Aragorn ran to do what they could to turn the ship around the coax all the speed they could from the sails. With a loud crash, the Dutchman began to fire a broadside, cannonballs racking through the stern of the Pearl. Everywhere men were running, heaving, and climbing, as Gibbs frantically tried to steer the ship, giant metals balls crashing behind him. Jack pushed him aside, taking the helm, he swiveled skill fully, making himself a harder target as they slipped slowly out of range.

The Dutchman turned in pursuit, trailing behind the Pearl,

"She's on us! She's on us!" Pintel yelled, hurrying to pull the sails down to full canvas.

Bang

The cannon fire did not cease as the Dutchman faced the Pearl with her bow, bearing frightening guns on their front, Legolas watched in horror as they fired in rapid succession, three balls right after one another. There was nothing more they could do but watch and pray. Aragorn joined him at the railing, as a ball splashed into the water beside them. Another one hit the water, farther back. They were pulling farther away. Gibbs came up next to them, smiling as the last ball hit a good distance behind the ship.

"They're givin' up!" Mart reported joyously from above their heads, as the Dutchman broke off pursuit. "Yah!"

Quickly, Will and Elizabeth came to the rail.

"We're the faster?" Will questioned.

"Aye, against the wind the Dutchman beats us, that's how she takes her pray... But with the wind!" The first mate left the comment in the air, as realization donned on Will's face.

"We rob her advantage."

"Aye!"

Will watched as the Dutchman shank into the distance, the gap between them growing larger.

"They're givin' up! YAY!" Marty cried from up in the rigging, spurring the whole crew into celebration. But William was not happy.

"My father is on that ship..." He walked up and informed Jack, his voice hard and accusing. "If we can outrun her, we can take her. We should turn and fight!"

"Why fight when you can negotiate?" Jack turned to him with a smug grin, glorying over his precious jar of dirt; he drummed his fingers on its lid "All one needs... Is the proper leverage." Aragorn ground his jaw, now was his chance to tell William the location of the heart.

The ship jerked forward hard, sending everyone to the floor with fierce strength. The jar fell from it' perch on the rail of the higher deck to the main deck. Smashing into many pieces, the dirt escaped its confines, spreading in a small pile on the deck. Aragorn looked up to see the lump of sand, concealing nothing but more sand.

"Ah!" Jack hurried down, worried about his prize. He dropped to his knees and scraped through the dirt, looking for the heart of Davy Jones. "Where is it? Where is the thump-thump?"

"Jack?" Aragorn came up, knowing exactly what the man was doing, he looked down accusingly.

"We must have hit a reef!" One of the crew called out. Legolas was the first to the rail, followed quickly by Elizabeth and Will.

"No... " the elf said, gazing down at the blue water, a large disturbance came up, white bubbles of air, he had seen something like it only once before. "It's not a reef!" He said.

"Get away from the rail!" William took one look and knew what Legolas meant. He grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her back.

"What is it?" She asked, surprised by their extreme actions at a simple reef.

"The Kraken." They both said together.

Aragorn and jack both looked up at once, abandoning the pile of dirt, Aragorn ran up to prepare for the attack.

"To arms!" he called.

"Load guns, defend the mast!" Gibbs ordered. Everywhere, people were running, panicking, praying.

"It'll attack the starboard, I've seen it before!" William drew hi sword, taking command of the ship. If Jack would not captain the Peal then he would, as long as the 'captain' allowed. "Run out the cannons and wait for my signal!"

Aragorn did not know how to load a cannon, but he knew what was needed. He grabbed Legolas and they ran down to the storage hold, handing up powder and shot. Running up to the main gun deck and back down, the gun ports were open and the cannons loaded. But both of them stopped in their tracks as the light faded, the ports taken captive by horrifying giant tentacles.

"Easy, boys!" Will yelled, steadying his men, he stood on the stairway, half way between the upper and lower deck. The sailors were frantic, but they tied to obey. All the stories and rumors ran through their head. They thought back over their live, praying they were ready to die. Many were not. Up above, Elizabeth stood with the rest of the crew, with pear at the ready.

"Will?" She called uneasily.

"Steady! Steady..." He bid them, waiting for, as their captain would say, the opportune moment.

Aragorn came to Regetti's side, taking the pained man's hand as the pirate mumbled a frightened prayer. Legolas came up, placing his hand on Aragorn's shoulder, and the three asked one last time for protection.

"Will?" Elizabeth' tone grew more panicked as the Kraken pulled them closer, its tentacles snaking up onto the deck.

"Hold." Will told them one last time. "Hold..."

"I think we've held fire long enough!" Pintel shouted at him.

"Will!!" Elizabeth scream down at him, scared, panicked, and annoyed.

"FIRE!" Will gave the command at last.

Aragorn and Legolas held their ears as, seemingly in the same instant, all of the huge metal gun fired, rocking the ship and filling the whole room with deafening crashes. Light flashed and smoke rose, and the great cry of the kraken could be heard, deep, twisted, and groaning. Slowly, the creature retracted its broken tentacles, some of them crashing down on the deck above before slithering off. The crew cheered as their assailant retreated to lick its wounds, but those who had fought it before could not.

"It'll be back. We have to get off the ship." Will came to the rail and turned to Elizabeth.

"There' no boats..." She told him, turning to see the ruined, broken remnants of the last lifeboats, cracked by the kraken as it slammed down on them.

As Aragorn and Legolas reached the top deck, their new captain got a new idea.

"Pull the grates! Get all the gun powder onto the net in the cargo hold!" He said, running off to fetch the other thing he would need, handing a musket to Elizabeth "What ever you do don't miss." he told her.

"As soon as you're clear."

Aragorn and Legolas went back to their job of fetching supplies, as the crew opened the hold. Rolling the heavy barrels to the net, they went back for more, but there was none to find.

"We are shot stock on gunpowder! Six barrels!" They heard one of the crew call to Will.

"Then load the rum!" The man shouted back.

Aragorn and Legolas stopped, waiting to see the pirate's reaction. They could not help but laugh, as the entire ship seemed to stop in shock.

"Aye, the rum too!" Gibb said, looking as though he might cry. With many complaints, as Aragorn and Legolas just laughed, the rum was loaded with the powder.

Legolas stopped short as he potted something out the gun port a small lifeboat. He leaned closer, seeing if it were friend or foe approaching. It was neither. 'Captain' Jack Sparrow rowed away by himself, fleeing his own ship and everyone aboard to save his life, in the last lifeboat. He ran to tell Aragorn, when he was, for the second time in one hours, thrown to the ground.

"Not good..." He heard someone say, and could not agree more. Finding Aragorn and William at the cargo net, He turned to see the Kraken's terrifying tentacles jam tier way into the gun deck. Going into the gun ports, they stormed the deck, breaking wood and tossing cannons

"Haul away!" Will yelled.

"Heave!" Gibbs shouted, as the net began to rise. "Heave like yer being paid for it!"

Will grabbed onto the net, letting it carry him up.

"Strider!" he called, grabbing the man's sleeve, he forced the ranger to grab onto the net, as the Kraken's huge tentacle slithered to his feet.

"Ah!" The ranger called, jumping towards Will's ride, he escaped the beast, but Legolas was not as lucky.

The elf scrambled up the stairs as the kraken bust in, as e was halfway up, the stairway shattered under him. A panicked scream escaped his lips as e crashed to the floor, the back of his head making harsh contact with a cannon, He laid there as two tentacled flew over his head, gabbing a man and sending him flying.

His mind was in a fog, spots dancing before him. He had to keep awake. He had to. Forcing himself to his feet, he ordered hiss body to do hi will and made his mind focus. Running to the other stairway, he came up the stairs quickly.

As they reached the top deck, Aragorn jumped off the netting, seeing Legolas below, He ran to the elf's die, quickly noting the bleeding wound to the back of his head. It was a wonder he was on his feet.

"Legolas?" He asked of the elf's condition.

"I'm fine!" Legolas called, suddenly tackling his friend to the ground as a giant tentacle groped over their heads. He guarded the ranger with his own body, and paid dearly for it.

"Aragorn!" He called as he felt the sickening grasp of the kraken curl around his ribs, tightening much too quickly.

"No!" the ranger called, grabbing Legolas' wrist, he fought a sot tug-o-war with the beast, before getting in position to chop the tentacle off. Legolas fell to the ground, gasping for breath, as hi oxygen starved body tried to deal wit the mind spinning injury to his head.

"Clear?" He heard Elizabeth call.

"Higher! Higher!" Will answered. He looked up to see the man, still riding the net of powered, draw his sword.

"Will!" He shouted a warning, as the kraken wrapped its giant Tentacle around the mast, ready to break the hoist that held Will up. But a more immediate danger was at hand. "Aragorn!" He called again. This time he could not save his friend. Two giant coils of the kraken's deadly limbs came smashing down, slamming the ranger to the ground. His sword fell from his hand as h hit the deck, smashed by the weight and strength of his opponent.

Will fell several feet before the rope caught, caught in the sickening feeling of weightlessness for only a moment, he realized he would not be getting any higher. "Come on!" he yelled. "Come and get me I'm over here! Com-" He fell again.

As the kraken released the main mast, the winch began to go backwards. Soon it would release Will entirely.

Aragorn looked up, his vision blurry; it took a moment to make hi surroundings clear, and longer to make any sense of them. Will was falling. Why? He looked up to see the wench above him spinning, gaining speed, but he could not stop it. The handles were broken off.

"Strider!" Legolas dropped to his knees by is friend, checking to make sure he was all right.

"I'm fine, I'm fine..." the ranger assured, paying no heed to the bleeding cut right above his right eyebrow. "Come on, we've got to stop this." He aid, spotting a broken piece of wood nearby it was the right fit for the mast. Finding a hole, he jammed it into the winch. Putting hi whole weight on it, e could not stop the revolution. "Get another one!" he called to his friend, as Legolas looked around for another plank. He grabbed one off the deck, trusting it into the winch; he strained to turn it, keeping Will up. Groaning as they strained again it' weight, the wheel slowly turned in the proper direction.

"Can't hold much longer!" Aragorn yelled. His back was still wounded, but he pressed it against the beam behind him, opening up old wounds.

"Steady!" Legolas could see the blood seeping through Aragorn's bandages where they were exposed under his vet staining the light shirt under it. His own back was ripped on his shoulder, and thank goodness, he pried with his lower back. They stopped turning and Legolas braced himself against the bar, pushing his feet on a fallen cannon.

Will looked to them nodding in thanks for saving his plan; he turned back, yelling to the kraken "Come on! Come and get me I'm over here!" His wish was granted.

A giant tentacle grabbed the netting, twirling it around; it flung William around with it. His boot caught in the net, and his word fell from his hand. Trying not to panic as the waves crashed around him, he drew hi knife and began to cut.

Aragorn cried out as the pull of the rope reached it' maximum on his broken back before letting go all at once. The Kraken took the weight from him and he fell to the ground. Legolas fell next to him, the elf rolling over to avoid attack, he pulled the ranger close, hugging him, protecting him, and looking on his back at the same time. That would never do. Aragorn's wounds were reopened in a thick line over his lower back. It would never do, but it had to.

Aragorn ret on hi friend's shoulder for a moment until the elf reached over to look at his back. They did not have time for worry. "Leave it!" he said, pulling away, he looked back up to William. The man cut quickly at the strong cord that held him, but it was not enough. His blunt, sort blade would never make it. The kraken swung him around wildly and seawater slammed into his face.

"Shoot!" He cried desperately, willing to give himself to save the others "Elizabeth, shoot!"

Legolas looked up, releasing an arrow, hi projectile sliced through the rope holding Will, sticking into the barrel, Will looked up, shocked, but after a moment welcome, as the rope snapped, partially releasing him.

Elizabeth aimed her musket, taking time to let her husband-to-be drop out of harms way. No matter how much he wished it, she could not bid herself to release a shot that would kill him. With a scream, she fell to the ground, a tentacle wrapping around her leg.

"No!" Aragorn jumped to his feet, grabbing his sword, he hacked the tentacle in half, forcing it to release Elizabeth. The ranger did not now how to shoot, and he would rather not kill anyone by accident, so he let her do it. Legolas stayed assisting Will until the lines were almost cut, and Will tried to pry his foot loose of the crushing barrels.

One of the crew men grabbed the gun, aiming at the barrels, as Will struggled out.

"No!" Elizabeth called, wishing to wait a moment long. In that instant a tentacle grabbed the man, as he held the gun. Pulling him over their heads, he dropped the musket on the upper deck. Hurriedly she half ran half crawled up the stairs, grabbing it, she tried to lift it as a foot came down on it, holding it there. "No!" She cried again, scolding whoever stopped her, she pushed on his foot, looking up to see who it was.

Captain Jack Sparrow stood above her. A small smile came to her face as the man bent and retrieved the gun, tacking it to fire it himself.

At last, Will was free of his bonds. Cutting the last cord, he dropped to the deck, slamming hard onto the wood. Jack fired, the bullet speeding trough the air, it hit one of the barrels square on. Aragorn and Legolas dove to the ground, covering their heads, as all the barrels, rum and powder, exploded in a huge crash. Deafening sound and blinding light came together in whatever the vile creation the pirates used was. Fire hot out of the barrels, blasting the kraken's tentacles to smoldering pieces. Slowly, with a loud groan of pain, the creature retreated.

Slowly, the rest of the crew came from the wreckage. Marty, Gibbs, Cotton, Pintel, Regetti, Elizabeth, Jack, Will, Aragorn, and Legolas. Te rest had not survived.

"Did we kill it?" Marty cautiously approached the rail, followed by Gibbs.

"No... We jut made it angry." The first mate said. "We're not out of this yet... Captain! Orders!" he called, turning to the recently returned Jack.

"Abandon ship, into the longboat." Jack said, walking down to the main deck.

"Jack..." Gibbs walked up, as the others went about getting what they needed and lowering the boat into the water. "The _Pearl_." he said simply.

"She' only a ship, mate..." Jack sighed sadly, wishing not to linger on the thought long.

"He's right; we have to head to land." Elizabeth said, as the crew started to load up.

"It's a lot of open water." Pintel objected.

"It's a lot of water..." Regetti concurred.

"We have to try it..." Legolas told them.

"He's right; we can get awake as it takes down the pearl." Will said.

"Abandon ship." Gibbs finally agreed, "Abandon ship or abandon hope!"

"Come on, Estel." Legolas helped his friend to his feet. As adrenaline amounts lowered, they both suffered from their injuries during the fight.

Helping the wounded man into the lifeboat, He stood back up to receive muskets handed down from William. The man above him stopped, starring. Legolas looked up to see the shocking scene, which well deserved Will's attention. Jack was backed up against the mast, and Elizabeth held him with a kiss. The elf's brow knotted, seeing one of the last things he would have expected aboard the Pearl.

"Prepare to cast off, there's no time to loose! Come on, Will, stop to!" Gibbs started his descent, pushing Will and Legolas out of the way. Soon after the first mate followed Elizabeth.

Will looked to her with betrayed, hurt, confused eyes. How could she? Did she love the pirate? Did she really love him? "Where is Jack?" He asked one question out of so many.

"He elected to stay behind to give us a chance." She said, defending her case extremely poorly, se did not know what Will had seen. Te ret of the crew looked up, as to expect the Captain to change hi mind at any moment. Will just stared at Elizabeth, his eyes hurt, but hardened, questioning, but accusing. Elizabeth could not meet his gaze. She fixed her eyes on the floor. "Go!" She yelled, telling tem not to wait for the captain. She knew he was not coming. Curling in on herself as the full weight of what she had done came down.

As they rowed further and further away, they looked back to see the Pearl, and its captain, be taken down. Slowly, the great tentacles climbed up, swarming the hip, they took over. Weighing it down, they dragged it whole to the bottom of the ocean, to be seen no more.

A pang of grief hit all watching. It was hard to believe they would never see the witty, annoying, yet brilliant man again. No matter how much he had hurt them, it was hard to harden against him totally. But he was gone.

_Captain_ Jack Sparrow was gone.


	11. Epiloge

Over the rest of the ride, barely a word was uttered. Legolas cleaned and redressed Aragorn's fresh and freshly opened wounds, and Aragorn treated Legolas' head injury, along with a few other injuries of the crew. When they arrived at the island they were headed for, it seemed all too familiar to them. Tia Dalma's island. As they went down the river a second time, Aragorn found it even creepier this time, nearing night. There were people in the forest, in the water, holding candles, crying, murmuring, quietly.

"Gibbs..." Aragorn whispered, "What are they?" He asked.

"Not what, _who_. And I don't know. They are mourners, I believe." He said. As they approached the old hut, Aragorn subconsciously grabbed Legolas' hand out of fright. But it was a mutual feeling, and the ranger both gave and received support.

Gibbs climbed the ladder to the door and knocked. It took a long while for an answer, but Gibbs was not as comfortable at walking in as Jack was. At last, Tia came to the door. It was obvious she had been crying for a bit but stopped a while ago. "Come in," she said. "Come and sit."

Without a word, they entered. Legolas got up the courage to go in again, and helped Aragorn do the same. A silent exchange of strength, not noted by anyone else, brought both of them inside. The depressed mood in the room affected everyone. Will busied himself, idly hitting the table he sat at with hi knife, and yanking the blade out again. After a while, Tia walked up wit a plate of mug, offering one to Elizabeth first.

"Against the cold... and the sorrow." she said, insisting that Elizabeth take one, before going next to William. "It's a shame... I know you're thinking that with the Peal, you couldda captured the devil and set free yer father's soul." she said as the man took one.

"Doesn't matter now. The Pearl's gone. Along with its captain." Will said, going back to slamming hi blade into the wooden table.

"Aye..." Biggs said as Tia gave mugs to the rest of the people in the room. Aragorn and Legolas were cautious, but took one in the end. "And already the world seems a bit less bright... He fooled us all, right 'til the end... but I guess that honest streak in him finally won out." He said, unknowingly deepening Elizabeth's world of guilt and shame. "To Jack Sparrow." e raised his glass in a toast.

"Never another like Cap'n Jack!" Regetti called, joining the toast.

"He was a gentleman of fortune, he was!" Pintel added.

"The like of which I've never seen." Aragorn gave his own comment.

"Had a way with the world like I've never seen." Legolas said.

"He was a good man." Elizabeth ended. Will could find nothing to say, but joined in drinking to the toast.

"If there was anything that could be done to bring him back..." He stood, "Elizabeth-"

"Would you do it?" Tia Dalma cut him off, suddenly very exited. "Hm?" She turned to Elizabeth "What would you... Hm? What would any of you do, Hm? Would you sail to the ends of the earth and beyond, the fetch back witting Jack, and him precious Pearl?"

The words hung in the air. Slowly, Gibbs stepped forward. "Aye." He said with a nod.

"Aye." Pintel joined, standing up.

"Aye." Regetti copied his move.

"Aye!" Cotton's parrot squawked, as the toungless man raised his glass.

"Yes." Elizabeth said, nodding slowly.

"Aye." Will joined in.

Looking at each other, Aragorn and Legolas joined as well.

"Aye,"

"Aye."

"Alright." Tia nodded happily "But if you go and brave the weird and haunted shores at world's end..." Her smile grew "Then, you will need a captain who knows those waters." She nodded to Elizabeth, turning to see the captain come into the room.

Descending the steps into the room was one of the lat people they would have expected. A man who four out of nine people in the room had seen shot in the heart and die:

Captain Barossa.

"So tell me... What's become of my ship?"


End file.
